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Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with altered brain development, but it is unclear which specific structural changes may serve as potential diagnostic markers, particularly in young children at the age when symptoms become fully established. Furthermore, such brain markers need to meet the requirements of precision medicine and be accurate in aiding diagnosis at an individual rather than only a group level. Objective This study aimed to identify and model brain-wide differences in structural connectivity using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in young ASD and typically developing (TD) children. Methods A discovery cohort including 93 ASD and 26 TD children and two independent validation cohorts including 12 ASD and 9 TD children from three different cities in China were included. Brain-wide (294 regions) structural connectivity was measured using DTI (fractional anisotropy, FA) together with symptom severity and cognitive development. A connection matrix was constructed for each child for comparisons between ASD and TD groups. Pattern classification was performed on the discovery dataset and the resulting model was tested on the two independent validation datasets. Results Thirty-three structural connections showed increased FA in ASD compared to TD children and associated with both autistic symptom severity and impaired general cognitive development. The majority (29/33) involved the frontal lobe and comprised five different networks with functional relevance to default mode, motor control, social recognition, language and reward. Overall, classification achieved very high accuracy of 96.77% in the discovery dataset, and 91.67% and 88.89% in the two independent validation datasets. Conclusions Identified structural connectivity differences primarily involving the frontal cortex can very accurately distinguish novel individual ASD from TD children and may therefore represent a robust early brain biomarker which can address the requirements of precision medicine.

Objectives The diagnosis of sepsis is challenging, the need for sensitive and specific diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers has not been met. Soluble CD25 (sCD25) is a readily available biomarker reported to represent the severity of the disease. This study aimed to assess the association between sCD25 and mortality in patients with sepsis. Methods In total, 329 adult patients with sepsis were screened through a prospective, observational study. We investigated the severity scores and sCD25 levels at admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), defined by sepsis (sepsis-3). The prognostic value of sCD25 was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and binary logistic regression models in predicting unfavourable outcome. The correlations between variables and severity of disease were analysed by Spearman correlation tests. Results After entering the ICU, the sCD25 level and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score were significantly higher in nonsurvivors than in survivors. The prognostic values estimated by the ROC curves were 0.678 for sCD25 and 0.945 for SOFA score at ICU admission. sCD25 had a modest ability to predict poor outcome. Logistic regression showed that increased levels of sCD25 were independently associated with unfavourable outcome. Spearman correlation tests showed that sCD25 levels were positively correlated with disease severity. Conclusions In sepsis patients, increased sCD25 levels were independently associated with poor clinical outcomes. Further research is needed to improve the understanding of the pathophysiology of this relationship.

Photocatalytic technology assisted via peroxymonosulfate (PMS) has good potential in water treatment. In this study, the Co3O4/Bi2WO6 composite was constructed via an in-situ calcination process and used to activate PMS for the degradation of ciprofloxacin (CIP) under visible light irradiation. The obtained 5 wt% Co3O4/Bi2WO6(CBWO-2) can highly effectively remove 86.2% CIP within 5 min visible light irradiation in presence of PMS. The excellent degradation performance of Co3O4/Bi2WO6/PMS system can be attributed to the synergistic effect between p-n heterojunction and PMS activation. The conduction band and valence band deviation between Co3O4 and Bi2WO6 were calculated by XPS techniques. Besides, DFT calculations were performed to further confirm the internal structure between Co3O4 and Bi2WO6. This work not only provides an approach to fabricate heterostructures but also indicated that Co3O4/Bi2WO6/PMS/Vis system is a potential environment remediation alternative for the efficient removal of recalcitrant organic compounds from wastewaters.

ObjectiveAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with altered brain development, but it is unclear which specific structural changes may serve as potential diagnostic markers. This study aimed to identify and model brain-wide differences in structural connectivity using MRI diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in young ASD and typically developing (TD) children (3·5-6 years old).MethodsNinety-three ASD and 26 TD children were included in a discovery dataset and 12 ASD and 9 TD children from different sites included as independent validation datasets. Brain-wide (294 regions) structural connectivity was measured using DTI (fractional anisotropy, FA) under sedation together with symptom severity and behavioral and cognitive development. A connection matrix was constructed for each child for comparisons between ASD and TD groups. Pattern classification was performed and the resulting model tested on two independent datasets.ResultsThirty-three structural connections showed increased FA in ASD compared to TD children and associated with both symptom severity and general cognitive development. The majority (29/33) involved the frontal lobe and comprised five different networks with functional relevance to default mode, motor control, social recognition, language and reward. Overall, classification accuracy is very high in the discovery dataset 96.77%, and 91·67% and 88·89% in the two independent validation datasets.ConclusionsIdentified structural connectivity differences primarily involving the frontal cortex can very accurately distinguish individual ASD from TD children and may therefore represent a robust early brain biomarker.

A polyphasic taxonomic approach was applied to characterize an anaerobic bacterial strain, 426-9T, that was isolated from human faeces. The strain was Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, non-spore-forming, non-pigmented and rod-shaped. Strain 426-9T grew anaerobically at 20–45 °C (optimally at 37–40 °C) and at pH 6.0–10.0 (optimally at pH 6.0–8.0). The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, seven amino phospholipids and three phospholipids. The major fatty acids of strain 426-9T were anteiso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, and the predominant respiratory quinones were menaquinones MK-9 and MK-10. End-products of glucose fermentation were acetate, propionate, iso-butyrate and iso-pentanoate. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain 426-9T was a member of the genus Parabacteroides . The level of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of strain 426-9T to the type species of the genus, Parabacteroides distasonis ATCC 8503T, was 91.0 %. Within the genus Parabacteroides , strain 426-9T was phylogenetically closely related to Parabacteroides johnsonii M-165T (96.0 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). The draft genome of strain 426-9T comprised 5.15 Mb with a DNA G+C content of 45.9 mol%. A total of 4088 genes were predicted and, of those, 3744 were annotated. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic characterization, strain 426-9T represents a novel species within the genus Parabacteroides , for which the name Parabacteroides acidifaciens sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 426-9T (=CGMCC 1.13558T=NBRC 113433T).

Semiconductor photocatalysis technology is a promising method for hydrogen production and water pollution treatment. Here, the SnIn

Adrenocortical carcinoma is one of the aggressive malignancies and it originates from the cortex of adrenal gland. Dysregulation of long non-coding RNA plays important roles in the development of adrenocortical carcinoma. Here, we found that lncRNA ASB16-AS1 was down-regulated in adrenocortical carcinoma and ASB16-AS1 functions as tumor suppressor in vitro and in vivo. We then found that IGF1R and CDK6 are regulated by ASB16-AS1 in adrenocortical carcinoma cells by transcriptome RNA sequencing. ASB16-AS1 associates with RNA-binding protein HuR (ELAVL1) as revealed by RNA pull-down following mass spectrometry. Also, ASB16-AS1 inhibits HuR expression post-translationally by promoting its ubiquitination. ASB16-AS1 regulates IGF1R and CDK6 mRNA expression through RNA-binding protein HuR. We then found that inhibition of ASB16-AS1 attenuates the binding of ubiquitin E3 ligase BTRC to HuR and subsequently inhibits HuR protein unbiquitination and degradation. BTRC knock-down could reverse the effect of AB16-AS1 on HuR, CDK6, and IGF1R levels. Collectively, these results demonstrate that ASB16-AS1 regulates adrenocortical carcinoma cell proliferation and tackling the level of ASB16-AS1 may be developed to treat adrenocortical carcinoma.

Photocatalytic technology assisted via peroxymonosulfate (PMS) has good potential in water treatment. In this study, the Co

Background DaHuangZheChong pill (DHZCP) is a formula of traditional Chinese medicine, which has been written into the guideline for the prevention and treatment of hepatic fibrosis in China. The study was aim to investigate the anti-fibrotic effects and the potential mechanisms of DHZCP revolving around the TGF-β pseudo receptor, bone morphogenic protein and activin membrane-bound inhibitor (BAMBI) in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Materials and Methods Wistar rats were given with CCL4 for four weeks to establish hepatic fibrosis model. Then the rats were given normal saline or DHZCP decoction six weeks. the pathology of liver tissue was analyzed, the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), BAMBI, and NF-κB were detected. In vitro, the associated signal molecules about LPS-activated NF-κB were also analyzed by immunohistochemistry, western blot, or electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) in cultured HSC-T6 cells . Results The DHZCP showed significant effects on improving fibrosis stage of liver tissue and inhibiting primary HSCs activation. The protein expression of TLR4/MyD88 was lower (P was both P P P

Autism spectrum disorder can be differentiated into three subtypes (aloof, passive, and active-but-odd) based on social behaviors according to the Wing Subgroups Questionnaire (WSQ). However, the correlations between the scores on some individual items and the total score are poor. In the present study, we translated the WSQ into Chinese, modified it, validated it in autistic and typically-developing Chinese children, and renamed it the Beijing Autism Subtyping Questionnaire (BASQ). Our results demonstrated that the BASQ had improved validity and reliability, and differentiated autistic children into these three subtypes more precisely. We noted that the autistic symptoms tended to be severe in the aloof, moderate in the passive, and mild in the active-but-odd subtypes. The modified questionnaire may facilitate etiological studies and the selection of therapeutic regimes. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s12264-018-0224-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Semiconductor photocatalysis technology is a promising method for hydrogen production and water pollution treatment. Here, the SnIn4S8/CeO2 (SISC) composites were fabricated by a stirring and calcination method, and the mass ratio of SnIn4S8 to CeO2 was optimized. The 50 wt% SISC heterojunction photocatalyst has the highest visible light catalytic activity. The degradation rate of hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)) is 98.8% in 75 min of light irradiation, which is 2.48 times that of pure CeO2. Besides, the 50 wt% SISC composite photocatalyst also has the highest photocatalytic hydrogen production efficiency (0.6193 mmol g−1 h−1), which exhibits a higher photocatalytic activity than pure CeO2 and SnIn4S8. The enhanced photocatalytic performance can be attributed to the Z-scheme heterojunction structure between CeO2 and SnIn4S8, which can effectively separate and transfer photo-generated charges, thereby reducing the recombination of photo-generated carriers. We hope this work can provide ideas for constructing Z-scheme heterojunction structures and improving photocatalytic activity under visible light.

Photocatalytic technology assisted via peroxymonosulfate (PMS) has good potential in water treatment. In the study, the Co3O4/Bi2MoO6 p-n heterostructure photocatalyst was prepared via an in-situ calcination process and was applied to activate PMS for degrading norfloxacin (NFA) under visible light irradiation. The obtained 5 wt% Co3O4/Bi2MoO6/PMS can effectively remove 87.68% of NFA within 30 min under visible light irradiation. The excellent degradation performance of Co3O4/Bi2MoO6/PMS system can be attributed to the synergistic effect between p-n heterojunction and PMS activation. The conduction band and valence band deviation between Co3O4 and Bi2MoO6 were calculated according to XPS techniques, and the results of anion interference experiments and circulation experiments revealed that the Co3O4/Bi2MoO6/PMS system has good stability. Besides, the possible degradation pathways of NFA were proposed and DFT calculations were performed to further confirm the internal structure between Co3O4 and Bi2MoO6. This work provides a new idea and a new catalyst for the degradation of organic pollution in water.

Prostate cancer is one of the most frequent malignancies affecting men. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer. LncRNA LOXL1-AS1 participates in the pathogenesis of the exfoliation syndrome. However, the role of LOXL1-AS1 in cancer remains largely unknown. Here, we found that LOXL1-AS1 down-regulation inhibited prostate cancer cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that it regulates the expression of cell cycle-related genes. LOXL1-AS1 is predominantly distributed in the cytoplasm, where it interacts with miR-541-3p. In addition, miR-541-3p targets the cell cycle regulator CCND1 in prostate cancer cells. LOXL1-AS1 down-regulation inhibits the expression of CCND1 and cell cycle progression, whereas these effects are abolished upon miR-541-3p suppression. In summary, our study revealed that LOXL1-AS1 regulates prostate cancer cell proliferation and cell cycle progression through miR-541-3p and CCND1. Modulation of their levels may be used to treat prostate cancer.

Oxytocin (OXT) and arginine-vasopressin (AVP) are two closely related neuropeptides and implicated in the regulation of mammalian social behaviors. A prior clinical study in our laboratory suggested that electro-acupuncture (EA) alleviated social impairment in autistic children accompanied by changes of peripheral levels of OXT and AVP. However, it remains unclear whether EA stimulation had an impact on central OXT and AVP levels. In the present study, rats were subjected to a single session of EA (sEA) or repeated sessions of EA (rEA). Following the stimulation, mRNA levels and peptide levels of OXT/AVP systems were determined. The results showed that sEA led to region-specific up-regulation of OXT and AVP mRNA levels in the hypothalamus where the peptides were produced, without affecting the content of OXT and AVP in the hypothalamus and peripheral blood. The rEA of 5 sessions in 9 days was given to the low socially interacting (LSI) rats. LSI rats that underwent rEA showed significant improvement of social behavior characterized by spending more time investigating the strange rats in the three-chamber sociability test. The improved sociability was accompanied by an up-regulation of mRNA and the peptide levels of OXT or AVP in SON of the hypothalamus as well as a significant increase of the serum level of AVP. It is concluded that activation of OXT/AVP systems may be associated with the pro-social effect caused by EA stimulation.

The nonapeptides oxytocin (OXT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) are two key mediators in regulating various aspects of mammalian social behaviours. There are several lines of evidence that genetic variants of the OXT/AVP system exist in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and that this system is dysfunctional at least in some ASD entities. These findings have stimulated the interest to perform studies testing the potential therapeutic application of OXT/AVP in ASD. In this respect animal models are critical for investigating the pathophysiology and for compound screening leading to new therapeutic approaches. Based on findings in animal models that show alterations of the OXT/AVP system, it has been hypothesised that single- or multiple-dose administration or the stimulation of endogenous release can improve several social deficits. Here we comprehensively review the role of the OXT/AVP system in social recognition, social interaction and maternal behaviour in the light of different ASD animal models and patient studies. We further discuss implications for OXT/AVP-related pharmacological interventions to alleviate social deficits in ASD in the future.

The nonapeptides oxytocin (OXT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) are two key mediators in regulating various aspects of mammalian social behaviours. There are several lines of evidence that genetic variants of the OXT/AVP system exist in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and that this system is dysfunctional at least in some ASD entities. These findings have stimulated the interest to perform studies testing the potential therapeutic application of OXT/AVP in ASD. In this respect animal models are critical for investigating the pathophysiology and for compound screening leading to new therapeutic approaches. Based on findings in animal models that show alterations of the OXT/AVP system, it has been hypothesised that single- or multiple-dose administration or the stimulation of endogenous release can improve several social deficits. Here we comprehensively review the role of the OXT/AVP system in social recognition, social interaction and maternal behaviour in the light of different ASD animal models and patient studies. We further discuss implications for OXT/AVP-related pharmacological interventions to alleviate social deficits in ASD in the future.

Background: Statins cannot be used for some active liver diseases, which limits its application to some extent. The combined use of statins with other drugs may be one of the ways to solve this dilemma. Objective: This research aims to evaluate the effects of atorvastatin combined with Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) on rats with atherosclerosis (AS) complicated with hepatic injury. Materials and Methods: Seventy-two male Wistar rats were randomly categorized into control group (without any intervention, Group A) and AS model groups, which were divided into hepatic injury (Groups B–E) and nonhepatic injury (Groups F–I) groups. Hepatic and nonhepatic injury groups were intragastrically treated with 5.5 mg/kg·d atorvastatin (Group B, F), 200 mg/kg·d PNS (Group C, G), 5.5 mg/kg·d atorvastatin + 200 mg/kg·d PNS (Group D, H), and normal saline (Group E, I). After 8 weeks, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and serum calcium were analyzed to evaluate the hypolipidemic effect. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, and r-glutamyltransferase levels were measured to assess liver function. The thoracic aortas were used for hematoxylin–eosin staining. Results: In both hepatic injury and nonhepatic injury groups, TC, TG and LDL-C levels significantly decreased in Groups B, D, F, and H. ALT and AST levels significantly increased in Group B, but significantly decreased in Groups C and D. The aortic intima thickness was significantly lower in Groups B, D, F, and H than that in the normal saline group. Conclusion: The combination of atorvastatin and PNS treatment showed a significant hypolipidemic effect and hepatic enzyme stability function. SUMMARY The single use of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) in the rat model for atherosclerosis significantly reduced Ca2+ content in serum, whereas the effect of lowing total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) is not apparent, especially as compared with atorvastatin treatmentPNS combined with atorvastatin treatment of the rat model for atherosclerosis displayed a noticeable, synergistic effect that allowed for better reduction of TC, TG, LDL-C and Ca2+ in the serum than that with the single use of PNS or atorvastatinIn the rat liver injury combined with atherosclerosis model, the single use of PNS significantly improved liver function, whereas atorvastatin alone only aggravated liver injury in the rat model. The effect of PNS combined with atorvastatin on liver function was significantly better than that of atorvastatin aloneThe combined use of PNS and atorvastatin showed good stability of liver function on the liver injury combined with atherosclerosis model. Abbreviations used: PNS: Panax notoginseng saponins; AS: Atherosclerosis; TC: Total cholesterol; TG: Triglyceride; HDL-C: High density lipoprotein-cholesterol; LDL-C: Low density lipoprotein-cholesterol; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; T-BIL: Total bilirubin; r-GT: R-glutamyltransferase; HE: Hematoxylin–eosin.

Oxytocin (OXT) and vasopressin (AVP) are considered to be related to mammalian social behavior and the regulation of stress responses. The present study investigated the effects of chronic homotypic restraint stress (CHRS) on social behaviors and anxiety, as well as its repercussions on OXT- and AVP-positive neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) nuclei in rat. Male Sprague-Dawley rats receiving CHRS were exposed to repeated restraint stress of 30min per day for 10days. Changes in social approach behaviors were evaluated with the three-chambered social approach task. Changes in anxiety-like behaviors were evaluated in the light-dark box test. The number of neurons expressing oxytocin and/or vasopressin in PVN and SON were examined by immunohistochemistry techniques. The results demonstrated that social approach was increased and anxiety was decreased following 10-day exposure to CHRS. Furthermore, the number of OXT-immunoreactive cells in PVN was increased significantly, whereas no change in SON was seen. The number of AVP immunoreactive cells either in PVN or SON was unaffected. The results of this study suggest that certain types of stress could be effective in the treatment of social dysfunction in persons with mental disorders such as autism, social anxiety disorder. The therapeutic effects may be mediated by changes in the function of OXT neurons in PVN.

A serious of spherical Co-MCM-41s with different cobalt content was synthesized and characterized by XRD, SEM, N2 isotherms and ICP techniques. The influences of synthesis conditions on the structure were also studied. The use of ascorbic acid as reductant had significant influence on the morphology and the catalytic activity of Co-MCM-41. The prepared samples exhibited higher catalytic activity in the direct hydroxylation of benzene by H2O2 than those with common morphology.

Background: Statins cannot be used for some active liver diseases, which limits its application to some extent. The combined use of statins with other drugs may be one of the ways to solve this dilemma. Objective: This research aims to evaluate the effects of atorvastatin combined with Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) on rats with atherosclerosis (AS) complicated with hepatic injury. Materials and Methods: Seventy-two male Wistar rats were randomly categorized into control group (without any intervention, Group A) and AS model groups, which were divided into hepatic injury (Groups B–E) and nonhepatic injury (Groups F–I) groups. Hepatic and nonhepatic injury groups were intragastrically treated with 5.5 mg/kg·d atorvastatin (Group B, F), 200 mg/kg·d PNS (Group C, G), 5.5 mg/kg·d atorvastatin + 200 mg/kg·d PNS (Group D, H), and normal saline (Group E, I). After 8 weeks, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and serum calcium were analyzed to evaluate the hypolipidemic effect. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, and r-glutamyltransferase levels were measured to assess liver function. The thoracic aortas were used for hematoxylin–eosin staining. Results: In both hepatic injury and nonhepatic injury groups, TC, TG and LDL-C levels significantly decreased in Groups B, D, F, and H. ALT and AST levels significantly increased in Group B, but significantly decreased in Groups C and D. The aortic intima thickness was significantly lower in Groups B, D, F, and H than that in the normal saline group. Conclusion: The combination of atorvastatin and PNS treatment showed a significant hypolipidemic effect and hepatic enzyme stability function. Abbreviations used: PNS: Panax notoginseng saponins; AS: Atherosclerosis; TC: Total cholesterol; TG: Triglyceride; HDL-C: High density lipoprotein-cholesterol; LDL-C: Low density lipoprotein-cholesterol; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; T-BIL: Total bilirubin; r-GT: R-glutamyltransferase; HE: Hematoxylin–eosin.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent impairment in social communication and social interaction. Recent studies revealed that environmental factors, especially the intrauterine developmental environment, played important roles in the development of ASD. It is hypothesized that maternal hyperandrogenism during pregnancy may increase the susceptibility of the fetus to ASD. In the present study, pregnant rats were treated with a low dose of letrozole (1μg/kg/day) in an attempt to produce a hyperandrogenic intrauterine environment for the developing fetus. Results showed that rat pups prenatally exposed to hyperandrogenic intrauterine environment emitted less number of ultrasonic vocalizations when isolated from their dams and littermates. Additionally, the female rats in the treatment group spent less time in social interaction in adolescence and exhibited impaired heterosexual interaction in adult. Moreover, the duration of social interaction and heterosexual interaction of the female offspring were negatively correlated with maternal serum testosterone levels during pregnancy. These results suggest that prenatal exposure to hyperandrogenic intrauterine environment could induce autistic-like behavior in female rats and maternal hyperandrogenism during pregnancy should be considered as a potential risk factor for the etiology of ASD.

Acupuncture increases brain levels of arginine-vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OXT), which are known to be involved in the modulation of mammalian social behavior. Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) is often used clinically to produce a similar stimulation to that of acupuncture on the acupoints. In the present study, TEAS was applied to children with autism to assess its therapeutic efficacy. Seventy-six autistic children receiving rehabilitation training were divided into 2 groups: a treatment group receiving TEAS 30min per day, 5 days per week for 12 weeks (n=37) and a control group without TEAS treatment (n=39). A series of rating scales was used in outcome assessment. Plasma levels of AVP and OXT were determined by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) before and after treatment. The TEAS group showed a significant improvement over the control in their emotional response, fear or anxiety, level/consistency of intellective relations and general impressions on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) as well as improvements in the sensory and related factors in the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). In addition, the varieties of accepted food increased after TEAS treatment. It appears that TEAS was effective in autistic children who showed passive and aloof behavior, but not in those who were active but odd. The plasma level of AVP was significantly higher in the TEAS group than in the control group after the intervention. In addition, the change in the plasma AVP level paralleled the improvement of some of the behavior factors in CARS, including adaptation to environmental change, listening response, perceptive response and fear or anxiety. It is concluded that TEAS is effective for the treatment of autistic children with a passive and aloof social interaction style. Changes in plasma levels of AVP and possibly OXT may be involved in mediating the therapeutic effect of TEAS.

BackgroundAutism is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder,thought to be caused by a combination of genetic heritability and environmental risk factors. Some autistic-like traits have been reported in mothers of autistic children. We hypothesized that dysregulation of oxytocin (OXT), Arg-vasopressin (AVP) and sex hormones, found in autistic children, may also exist in their mothers.MethodsWe determined plasma levels of OXT (40 in autism vs. 26 in control group), AVP (40 vs. 17) and sex hormones (61 vs. 47) in mothers of autistic and normal children by enzyme immunoassay and radioimmunoassay, respectively and investigated their relationships with the children's autistic behavior scores (Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC)).ResultsSignificantly lower plasma concentrations of OXT (pConclusionsThese results suggest that dysregulation of OXT, AVP and/or testosterone systems exist in mothers of autistic children, which may impact children's susceptibility to autism.