Objective: This study uses structural magnetic resonance imaging to explore changes in the cerebellar lobules in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and further analyze the correlation between cerebellar structural changes and clinical symptoms of ASD. Methods: A total of 75 patients with ASD and 97 typically developing (TD) subjects from Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange dataset were recruited. We adopted an advanced automatic cerebellar lobule segmentation technique called CEREbellum Segmentation to segment each cerebellar hemisphere into 12 lobules. Normalized cortical thickness of each lobule was recorded, and group differences in the cortical measures were evaluated. Correlation analysis was also performed between the normalized cortical thickness and the score of Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised. Results: Results from analysis of variance showed that the normalized cortical thickness of the ASD group differed significantly from that of the TD group; specifically, the ASD group had lower normalized cortical thickness than the TD group. Post-hoc analysis revealed that the differences were more predominant in the left lobule VI, left lobule Crus I and left lobule X, and in the right lobule VI and right lobule Crus I. Lowered normalized cortical thickness in the left lobule Crus I in the ASD patients correlated positively with the abnormality of development evident at or before 36 months subscore. Conclusion These results suggest abnormal development of cerebellar lobule structures in ASD patients, and such abnormality might significantly influence the pathogenesis of ASD. These findings provide new insights into the neural mechanisms of ASD, which may be clinically relevant to ASD diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of high dose vitamin C (VC) on proliferation of breast cancer cells and to explore its mechanisms. METHODS: Human breast cancer cells Bcap37 and MDA-MB-453 were treated with VC at low dose (0.01 mmol/L), medium dose (0.10 mmol/L) and high dose (2.00 mmol/L). Cell proliferation was determined with CCK-8 assay, protein expression was evaluated by Western blot, and the secretion of lactic acid in tumor cells was detected by colorimetric method. Bcap37 cells were inoculated in nude mice, and tumor baring nude mice were intraperitoneally injected with high VC(4 g/kg, VC group, =5)or normal saline (control group, =5) for 24 d. Tumor weight and body weight were calculated. RESULTS: experiments demonstrated that high dose VC significantly inhibited cell proliferation in Bcap37 and MDA-MB-453 cells (all <0.01); the expressions of Glut1 and mTOR signaling pathway-related proteins were decreased (all <0.05); and the secretion of lactic acid was also markedly reduced (all <0.05). experiment showed that the tumor weight was decreased in mice treated with high-dose VC as compared with control group (<0.05), but no difference in body weights between two groups was observed. CONCLUSIONS High dose VC may inhibit proliferation of breast cancer cells both and through reducing glycolysis and protein synthesis.
Animals ; Ascorbic Acid ; pharmacology ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Glycolysis ; drug effects ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Protein Biosynthesis ; drug effects