Vitamin D status is primarily associated with core symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder: A multicenter study in China.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the relationship between vitamin D status and core symptoms and neurodevelopmental levels in children with ASD with a multicenter survey. METHODS: We enrolled 1321 ASD children and 1279 typically developing (TD) children aged 2-7 years from 13 cities in China. ASD symptoms were assessed with the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and neurodevelopmental levels were evaluated with the Children Neuropsychological and Behavior Scale-Revision 2016 (CNBS-R2016). RESULTS: Children with ASD had lower serum 25(OH)D levels than TD children. Serum 25(OH)D levels were negatively associated with CARS and communication warning behavior of CNBS-R2016 scores, and were not associated with the development quotients of ASD children. ASD Children were grouped based on the quartiles for 25(OH)D levels in the controls, and children in the first to third quartiles had higher SRS social communication and/or CARS and communication warning behavior of CNBS-R2016 scores than those in the fourth quartile. CONCLUSIONS: Serum 25(OH)D levels were primarily associated with core symptoms in children with ASD, and individuals with relatively lower 25(OH)D levels displayed worse autistic symptomatology. More research is needed to determine whether vitamin D supplements would be a useful treatment for ASD.

Fasudil, an inhibitor of Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase, attenuates hyperoxia-induced pulmonary fibrosis in neonatal rats.

BACKGROUND: Oxygen therapy is important during the management of high-risk neonatal infants, such as those with preterm birth, low birth weight, and asphyxia. However, prolonged exposure to high oxygen concentrations can readily lead to diffuse nonspecific inflammation, which promotes airway remodeling and pulmonary fibrosis. The Rho/Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase (Rho/ROCK) signaling pathway plays an important role in numerous developmental and proliferative diseases. This study was performed to determine the efficacy of ROCK inhibitor fasudil in blocking the development of hyperoxia-induced lung injury and fibrosis in neonatal rats. METHODS: Neonatal rats were randomly divided into four groups: air + saline group, air + fasudil group, hyperoxia + saline group, and hyperoxia + fasudil group. The hyperoxia + saline and Hyp + fasudil groups were exposed to 95% oxygen for 21 days and administered intraperitoneal saline or fasudil once daily. The air + saline and air + fasudil group were exposed to 21% oxygen (room air) and administered the same volume of intraperitoneal saline or fasudil. RESULTS: Fasudil-treated rats exhibited improved histopathological changes and decreased lung hydroxyproline content. Fasudil attenuated the protein level of alpha-smooth muscle actin, transforming growth factor-ß1, and connective tissue growth factor. Additionally, fasudil reduced the activation of ROCK1 and myosin phosphatase targeting subunit 1 protein in the Rho/ROCK signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Fasudil may be a potentially effective therapeutic drug for hyperoxia-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

[Penetrating needling on head points for vertigo caused by vertebral-basilar arterial blood-supply insufficiency].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the differences in therapeutic effect between penetrating needling on head points and acupuncture of syndrome division in the treatment of vertigo caused by vertebral-basilar arterial blood-supply insufficiency. METHODS: Sixty cases of vertigo caused by vertebral-basilar arterial blood-supply insufficiency were divided into 2 groups: a penetrating needling on head points group (group A) and an acupuncture of syndrome division group (group B), 30 cases in each one. In group A, penetrating needling technique was applied from Baihui (GV 20) towards Qianding (GV 21), Shuaigu (GB 8) towards Qubin (GB 7) and Yuzhen (BL 9) towards Tianzhu (BL 10). Electric stimulation was added. In group B, the acupoints were selected according to syndromes. For example, upper disturbance of wind yang: Ganshu (BL 18), Xingjian (LR 2),etc. were selected; upper disturbance of turbid phlegm: Yinlingquan (SP 9), Fenglong (ST 40), etc. were selected; qi and blood deficiency: Baihui (GV 20), Xuehai (SP 10), etc. were selected; liver and kidney yin deficiency: Ganshu (BL 18), Shenshu (BL 23), etc. were selected. Electric stimulation and needling manipulation were conducted on those acupoints. Ten treatments made one session. After continuous 2 sessions of treatment, the efficacy, symptom score and physical sign score were compared between two groups. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) examination was done to observe hemodynamic changes of anterior cerebral artery (ACA), middle cerebral artery (MCA) and posterior cerebral artery (PCA) before and after treatment. RESULTS: The total effective rate in group A was 96.7% (29/30) that was obviously better than 83.3% (25/30) in group B (P<0.05). The scores of vertigo degree, vertigo frequency, duration and accompanied symptoms after treatment were lower obviously as compared with those before treatment in two groups (all P<0.05). The improvements in group A were much significant (all P<0.05). The highest mean velocity(Vm) of bilateral MCA, ACA and PCA were apparently reduced after treatment in two groups (P< 0.05, P<0.01). The improvements in group A were much more apparently (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The penetrating needling on head points can effectively relieve vertigo caused by vertebral-basilar arterial blood-supply insufficiency, reduce the attack frequency and improve in its accompanied symptoms. Its clinical efficacy is significantly superior to that in acupuncture of syndrome division group.

[Effects of penetration therapy with scalp electroacupuncture on gene expressions of nerve growth factors in substantia nigra of rats with Parkinson's disease].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the protective mechanism of penetration therapy with scalp electroacupuncture on Parkinson's disease (PD). METHODS: Thirty-six Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a sham operation group, a model group and a penetration therapy group, 9 rats in each group. The sham operation group was operated by micro-injection with normal saline in the left corpus striatum. The model group and penetration therapy group were generated by micro-injection with 6-hydroxydopamine in the left corpus striatum to prepare rotation model of PD. The penetration therapy group was treated by penetration therapy with scalp electroacupuncture through "Baihui" (GV 20) to "Taiyang" (EX-HN 5), once each day, 6 days for one course, altogether 2 courses, and there was no treatment in the other two groups. (1) Immunohistochemical method was used to test the morphology and count of positive cells of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). (2) In situ hybridization histochemistry was applied to detect the mRNA expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). RESULTS: (1) The areal density (AD), numerical density (ND) and integrating optic density (IOD) of the positive neurons of TH in substantia nigra in the penetration therapy group were 0.065 +/- 0.011, 0.014 +/- 0.003 and 0.470 +/- 0.099, respectively, which were higher than 0.039 +/- 0.008, 0.008 +/- 0.002 and 0.266 +/- 0.065 in the model group (all P < 0.05). (2) The AD, ND and IOD of the mRNA expression of BDNF in substantia nigra in the penetration therapy group were 0.100 +/- 0.012, 0.014 +/- 0.003 and 1.158 +/- 0.130, respectively, which were higher than 0.047 +/- 0.012, 0.007 +/- 0.001 and 0.602 +/- 0.108 in the model group (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The penetration therapy with scalp electroacupuncture has a better protective effect on dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra of rats with PD. The protective mechanism is related to the provocation of neural nourishment so as to improve the morphous of dopaminergic neurons and increase the number of dopaminergic neurons.

[Effect of electroacupuncture scalp point-through-point therapy on the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporter mRNAs in substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease model rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture scalp point-through-point therapy in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. METHODS: Thirty-six Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a sham-operation group, a model group and a point-through-point therapy group. 6-()HDA was injected into left striatum to made lateralization Parkinson's disease rat model. The point-through-point therapy group was treated with electroacupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20 )-through-"Taiyang" (EX-NH 5), once each day, 6 days constituting one course, for 2 courses, and the rats of other groups were not treated. HE staining method was used for observation of the histo-morphologic changes of the substantia nigra neurons, and RT-PCR for the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine transporter (DAT) mRNAs. RESULTS: The expressions of TH mRNA (1.22 +/- 0. 19) and DAT mRNA (0.62-0.11) in the point-through-point therapy group were significantly higher than (0.65 +/- 0.17) and (0.41 +/- 0.08) in the model group, respectively (all P < 0.05). As compared with the model group, the number of neurons in the substantia nigra increased and degeneration of the neurons relieved in the point-through-point therapy group. CONCLUSION: The electroacupuncture scalp point-through-point therapy can increase expressions of TH mRNA and DAT mRNA in the substantia nigra in the Parkinson's disease model rat, and promote synthesis and reuptake of dopamine, hence Parkinson's disease is cured.