Objective: To investigate the level of vitamin B12 in children with autism spectrum disorder(ASD), and provide a theoretical basis for early detection and drug treatment of ASD. Methods: A total of 89 ASD cases and 89 matched controls were collected. The levels of urinary methylmalonic acid (MMA) and serum vitamin B12, Transcobalamin Ⅱ (TCN2) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). TCN2 gene rs1801198 was genotyped by SNaPshot. Results: The serum levels of vitamin B12 and TCN2 in children with ASD [(369.08±131.88)pmol/L, (1.56±0.16)ng/mL] were significantly lower than those in the control group[(485.16±200.33)pmol/L, (1.71±0.17)ng/mL](t=-5.47, -5.92, P<0.05). The level of MMA in urine of ASD children [(758.97±106.96) ng/mL] was significantly higher than that in the control group[(693.66±121.72)ng/mL](t=3.94, P<0.05); The genetic polymorphism of rs1801198 locus was not associated with the risk of ASD(P>0.05), and there was no significant correlation with serum TCN2 level(F=1.16, P>0.05). Conclusion ASD children are at a potential deficiency of vitamin B12 and should strengthen their nutritional interventions while conducting ASD interventions.

Objective: To explore the differences of temperament characteristics between children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and normal children, and to provide evidence for early detection of ASD children and the development of personalized treatment plans. Methods: In this case-control study, we enrolled 129 ASD children and 129 normal children aged 3-7 years. The Behavioral Style Questionnaire (BSQ) scale was used to assess the temperament. Results: ASD children got higher scores in terms of "activity level", "withdrawal", "adaptability", "emotional nature", "persistence", and "response threshold" temperament dimensionality scores(P<0.05), and lower scores in terms of "rhythmical", "response intensity" temperament dimensionality scores than normal children(P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in "attention dispersiveness" between ASD group and control group(P>0.05). Among the children in the ASD and control group, the proportion of each temperament type was "easy to raise temperament type" (41.8% vs 62.8%), "partially easy to raise temperament type" (31.8% vs 27.9%), "partially difficult to raise temperament type" (17.1% vs 6.2%), “slow-up-towarm temperament type" (7.7% vs 2.3%) and "difficult to raise temperament type" (1.6% vs 0.8%).Statistical analysis showed that the rate of "easy to raise temperament type" was lower than that in normal children(P<0.05), while the rates of "partially easy to raise temperament type", "partially difficult to raise temperament type", "difficult to raise temperament type", and "slow-up-to-warm temperament type" in ASD children were higher(P<0.05). Conclusion There was significant difference in temperament characteristics between ASD children and normal children. The evaluation of temperament type contributes to early detection of ASD children and provides a reference for their behavioral correction.

Objective: To explore the relationship among osteopontin(OPN), Interleukin-17A(IL-17A), anti-MBP auto-antibody and autism spectrum disorder(ASD), and to provide the theoretical basis for the etiology and pathogenesis of ASD. Methods: Forty autistic children and forty matched healthy children were enrolled in this case-control study. The levels of OPN, IL-17A, anti-MBP autoantibody in serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The associations between those metabolic levels and the severity and intelligence of ASD children were performed by Pearson or Spearman correlation. Results: Children with ASD had higher serum levels of OPN, IL-17A [(296.89±162.95),0.93] pg/mL compared to healthy control[(217.98±113.39), 0.62] pg/mL(P<0.05). Serum OPN, IL-17A, and anti-MBP auto-antibody levels in ASD group were not correlated with the scores of ABC, CARS, and PPVT(P>0.05). However, anti-MBP auto-antibodies level in children with ASD were positively correlated with OPN and IL-17A levels, respectively(r=0.35, 0.34, P<0.05). Conclusion It was obvious that the ASD children were found with neuroimmunologic abnormality, and the underlying mechanism needs to be further explored.

Objective: To understand the status of doctor visit, rehabilitation and foster care of children with autism spectrum disorders in Heilongjiang Province, and to provide a scientific reference for improving ASD rehabitation education system and making the related policies. Methods: Eight autism rehabilitation institutions were selected in Heilongjiang Province by stratified cluster sampling, 357 primary caregivers of ASD children participated in the survey by using the questionnaire "ASD Children’s Rehabilitation Education Status and Needs". Results: The average age of abnormal behavior found of ASD children was (31.08±12.96)months, and the average age of first doctor visit was (35.88±13.20) months, the average age of diagnose was (38.64±13.20) months, and initial rehabilitation was (43.56±16.08)months. The proportion of children who had been diagnosed and have trained in the rehabilitation institutions before the age of 3 years was only 39.0% and 32.0%, respectively. The proportion of rehabilitation out of home town was 47.3%, and rehabilitation >20 hours per week was 73.4%. The proportion of fathers’ and mothers’ work lives affected was 34.5% and 67.8%, respectively, the differences were of statistical signficance(χ2=226.32, P<0.01). About 41.2% of ASD families received government financial support. Conclusion The average age of diagnose is late prolonged, and the proportion of children diagnosed and training before the age of 3 years was relatively low. There were obvious regional differences of rehabilitation education resources distributions of ASD in Heilongjiang Province. The results also demonstrate the need to sustain and enhance the coverage rate of the government financial support.

Objective: To investigate the level of human blood basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its correlation with behavioral phenotypes, to provide a reference for etiological research of ASD. Methods: ASD Children were selected to get rehabitation training in reseach center of children development behavior in Harbin Medical University and the rehabitation constitution for ASD disabilities in Heilongjiang, 40 children were induded as ASD group, 41 healthy children in Harbin kindergarten was classified as control group. The Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) were used to assess the severity and intelligence of ASD children, respectively. Results: No difference was found in FGF2 level between ASD children (4.95 pg/mL) and normal children(8.51 pg/mL)（P>0.05). However, difference in FGF2 level between the two groups were found in 4-year-old group(P<0.05). The level of FGF2 differed across different severity and intelligence of ASD children(P<0.05). Conclusion Abnormal levels of FGF2 in ASD children may correlate with severity of autistic traits and intelligence of children.

Objective: To identify the prevalence of sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to explore the association with the main melatonin metabolite, 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (6-SM). Method: This was a prospective case-control study. Children with ASD were recruited from Child Development and Behavioral Research Center (CDBRC) of the Harbin Medical University and Harbin Special Education School from October 2015 to April 2017 (ASD group) . Healthy controls were selected from five kindergartens and one primary school in Harbin by the stratified cluster random sampling (control group) . The Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) was used to investigate the sleep problems of the two groups. The patients were matched in a 1∶1 ratio for the age and sex, and the urine samples of case-control pairs were collected in the morning. The level of 6-SM was measured by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The student's t test was used for comparison between the ASD group and control group, and the Pearson correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation difference. Result: A total of 212 ASD children (mean (±SD) age was (6.0±2.7) years, and 181 patients (85.4%) were male), and a total of 334 healthy children(mean (±SD) age was (5.9±2.6) years, and 272 patients (81.4%) were male) were recruited. Among them, 101 matched case-control pairs completed the collection of urine samples. According to the statistical analysis, the scores of total CSHQ, bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, sleep duration, night waking, parasomnia, sleep disordered breathing and daytime sleepiness in children with ASD were significantly higher than those in the control group (48.2±6.2 vs. 46.6±5.4, 11.4±2.5 vs. 10.7±2.8, 1.7±0.8 vs. 1.5±0.7, 4.1±1.4 vs. 3.7±1.1, 4.2±1.5 vs. 3.8±1.1, 8.5±1.5 vs. 8.3±1.4, 3.7±1.0 vs. 3.4±0.8, 11.7±2.5 vs. 12.4±2.7, t=3.16, 3.00, 3.23, 2.76, 3.19, 1.99, 3.45,-2.72, P=0.002, 0.003, 0.001, 0.006, 0.002, 0.048, 0.001, 0.007), the level of 6-SM was significantly lower in children with ASD than that of healthy controls ((1.24±0.50) vs. (1.68±0.63)μg/h, t=-5.50, P<0.01), and the total CSHQ score was negatively correlated with the level of 6-SM (r=-0.50, P<0.01). Conclusion The children with ASD were at high risk for sleep problems, and the melatonin metabolite of ASD group was abnormal compared with that of the control group. Moreover, there was a negative correlation between the severity of sleep problems and the level of 6-SM in ASD children. The results of our study indicate that the abnormal melatonin metabolism may be one of the causes of sleep problems in children with ASD.

Objective:To explore the relationship between endocannabinoid (eCB) and its metabolic enzymes and severity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and to provide a theoretical basis for the study of the etiology and pathogenesis of ASD.Methods:A case-control study was conducted to collect 58 ASD children who underwent rehabilitation training at the Children's Developmental Behavior Research Center of Harbin Medical University and the provincial autism rehabilitation facility from December 2017 to December 2018 as the ASD group.According to the principle of gender and age 1∶1 matching, 58 normal children were selected as control group in Heilongjiang Province.Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) were used to detect eCB of ASD group and control group, including anandamide (AEA), 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), oleoylethanolamide (OEA) and its metabolic enzymes: n-acylphosphatidylethanolamine-specific phospholipase D (NAPE-PLD), fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) and diacylglycerol lipase (DAGL) mRNA expression levels.Pearson correlation was used to analyze the level of eCB and ASD children's severity.Results:The levels of AEA, OEA and PEA in ASD children ((10.10±2.6)nmol/L, (24.30±5.60)nmol/L, (15.92±2.28)nmol/L) were lower than those in the control group ((13.46±3.04)nmol/L, (27.85± 6.89)nmol/L, (17.87±2.67)nmol/L, t=-6.612, -3.99, -4.779, P<0.01). The expression levels of FAAH and DAGL mRNA in ASD children were significantly higher than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant( t=2.423, 3.840, P<0.05), while NAPE-PLD and MAGL mRNA levels were not significantly different between the two groups ( t=0.024, 0.885, P>0.05). The level of PEA in the ASD group was negatively correlated with the total score of the autism behavior checklist (ABC) ( r=-0.288, P<0.05). Conclusion:There may be metabolic abnormalities in eCB and its metabolic enzymes in ASD children, and the level of eCB is related with the severity of ASD.

【Objective】 To explore the relationship between the methylation level of CNR1 and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), in order to provide a theoretical basis for the etiology of ASD. 【Methods】 A case-control study was conducted, recruiting 30 children with ASD from the Child Development and Behavior Research Center of Harbin Medical University and a rehabilitation facility, and 30 matched typically developed children from June 2017 to December 2018. The methylation levels of CNR1 in peripheral blood were measured by the Agena MassArray^® Mass Spectrometry System. A univariate conditional Logistic regression model was used to analyze the potential association between the methylation level of CNR1 and the risk of ASD with adjustment for age, BMI, body fat percentage and body fat. The correlations between the methylation level of CNR1 and the score of Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) were evaluated by Pearson/Spearman correlation analysis. 【Results】 The methylation levels of the average methylation (t=2.224), CpG_3.4 (Z=2.187), CpG_9.10.11 (t=2.308), and CpG_28.29 (t=2.943) of the CNR1 promoter region in ASD children were significantly higher than controls (P<0.05). The methylation levels of the average methylation (OR=1.117, 95%CI: 1.003 - 1.245), CpG_9.10.11 (OR= 1.072, 95%CI:1.006 - 1.142), and CpG_28.29 (OR=1.078, 95%CI: 1.018 - 1.141) of the CNR1 promoter region were positively correlated with the risk of ASD (P<0.05). The methylation level of CpG_28.29 in ASD children was positively correlated with the scores of social motivation in SRS (r=0.421, P<0.05). 【Conclusions】 The methylation levels of CNR1 in peripheral blood are abnormal in ASD children and might be correlated with the risk of ASD and social function. The underlying mechanism needs to be further explored.