Serum lipids and other risk factors for diabetic retinopathy in Chinese type 2 diabetic patients

Objective

To investigate the association of serum lipids and other risk factors with diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Chinese type 2 diabetic patients.

Methods

Five hundred and twenty-three type 2 diabetic patients underwent ophthalmic examination by experienced retinal specialists to assess their DR. Serum lipids, including triglycerides, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), were measured using Roche automated clinical chemistry analyzers. The concentration of very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDLC) was calculated based on total cholesterol, HDLC and LDLC. Hyperlipidemia was defined as a total cholesterol concentration of 6.2 mmol/L or higher or the use of lipid-lowering medications. The association of risk factors with any DR or proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) was assessed using the odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI), calculated from logistic regression models.

Results

In multivariate logistic regression models, hyperlipidemia (OR=2.39, 95% CI: 1.02–5.66), higher VLDLC (OR=1.59, 95% CI: 1.14–2.23), and higher triglyceride (OR=1.18, 95% CI: 1.03–1.37) were associated with increased risk of DR. A longer diabetic duration was associated with increased risk of DR (P<0.0001) and PDR (P=0.002) in a dose-response manner. Higher systolic blood pressure (P=0.02) and higher serum creatinine (P=0.01) were independently associated with increased risk of DR, and female gender was associated with increased risk of PDR (P=0.03).

Conclusions

Among Chinese type 2 diabetic patients, hyperlipidemia, higher VLDLC, and higher triglyceride were independently associated with increased risk of DR, suggesting control of serum lipids may decrease the risk of DR.     

A high-fat diet increases body fat mass and up-regulates expression of genes related to adipogenesis and inflammation in a genetically lean pig

Because of their physiological similarity to humans, pigs provide an excellent model for the study of obesity. This study evaluated diet-induced adiposity in genetically lean pigs and found that body weight and energy intake did not differ between controls and pigs fed the high-fat (HF) diet for three months. However, fat mass percentage, adipocyte size, concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), insulin, and leptin in plasma were significantly higher in HF pigs than in controls. The HF diet increased the expression in backfat tissue of genes responsible for cholesterol synthesis such as Insig-1 and Insig-2. Lipid metabolism-related genes including sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c), fatty acid synthase 1 (FASN1), diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2), and fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) were significantly up-regulated in backfat tissue, while the expression of proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPAR-α) and carnitine palmitoyl transferase 2 (CPT2), both involved in fatty acid oxidation, was reduced. In liver tissue, HF feeding significantly elevated the expression of SREBP-1c, FASN1, DGAT2, and hepatocyte nuclear factor-4α (HNF-4α) mRNAs. Microarray analysis further showed that the HF diet had a significant effect on the expression of 576 genes. Among these, 108 genes were related to 21 pathways, with 20 genes involved in adiposity deposition and 26 related to immune response. Our results suggest that an HF diet can induce genetically lean pigs into obesity with body fat mass expansion and adipose-related inflammation.     

Citric acid reduces the decline in P300 amplitude induced by acute alcohol consumption in healthy adults

Event-related potential (ERP) is a reliable neuroelectric measure of brain activity that helps to confirm the assessment of mental status and cognitive impairment. Many studies have reported that alcoholics show a significantly lower ERP P300 amplitude than the norm. In the present study, ERP P300 waves were measured to evaluate the effect of citric acid on cognitive function during excessive alcohol consumption in healthy adults. Five volunteers were selected through clinical interview, physical examination, and psychiatric assessment for participation in this study. In a double-blind placebo-controlled before-after design, each subject was treated with 5 ml/kg body weight alcohol, 5 ml/kg body weight alcohol and 1 mg citric acid, or a placebo on three separate occasions, one week apart. ERP P300, blood biochemical indicators, blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) and acetaldehyde concentrations were assessed. Repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a within-subjects factor was used to evaluate differences in blood biochemical indicators, BACs, blood acetaldehyde concentrations, and ERP P300 in the three sessions of assessments. Several blood biochemical indicators showed significant differences between treatments, including the levels of cholinesterase (CHE), total bile acid (TBA), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), and glycylproline dipeptidyl aminopeptidase (GPDA). BACs after consumption of alcohol alone or citric acid with alcohol were significantly higher compared to those after placebo treatment (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in blood acetaldehyde concentrations between the treatments. The P300 amplitudes on the frontal (Fz), central (Cz), and parietal (Pz) regions of the scalp after consumption of alcohol were significantly lower than those after consumption of the placebo or citric acid with alcohol (P<0.05), while there were no significant differences between the latter two treatments. The results of this study suggest that citric acid could reduce the decline in ERP P300 amplitude and cognitive ability induced by acute alcohol consumption. It may also affect some blood biochemical indicators, but the specific mechanisms need further research.     

Effects of hypoxic exercise training on microRNA expression and lipid metabolism in obese rat livers

To investigate the effects of hypoxic exercise training on microRNA (miRNA) expression and the role of miRNA expression in regulating lipid metabolism, 20 dietary-induced obese SD rats were divided into a normoxic sedentary group (N, n=10) and a hypoxic exercise training group (H, n=10). After four weeks, measurements were taken of body weight, body length, fat mass, serum lipid concentration, miRNAs differentially expressed in rat liver, and gene and protein expression levels of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α (PPARα), fatty acid synthetase (FAS), and carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1A (CPT1A) in rat liver. Body weight, Lee’s index, fat mass, fat/weight ratio, and serum levels of total cholesterol (TC) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were all significantly lower in the H group than in the N group (P<0.01). Six miRNAs expressed significantly differently in the liver (P<0.05). Specifically, expression levels of miR-378b were significantly lower in the H group than in the N group (P<0.05). Compared with the normoxic sedentary group, hypoxic exercise training resulted in a lower ratio of FAS mRNA to CPT1A mRNA (P<0.05), as well as lower CPT1A protein levels (P<0.01), while a higher ratio of FAS to CPT1A protein levels (P<0.01) was observed. In conclusion, hypoxic training may elevate the resistance of high fat diet induced obesity in rats by reducing the expression of miR-378b, and decrease the fatty acid mitochondrial oxidation in obese rat livers by decreasing the protein expression of CPT1A and increasing the protein expression ratio of FAS/CPT1A.     

血脂对老年慢性心房颤动患者缺血性中风的影响

目的探讨血脂对老年慢性心房颤动(chronic atrial fibrillation,CAF)患者发生缺血性中风的影响.方法对资料完整的182例老年(＞60岁)CAF患者进行前瞻性研究,分析血脂与缺血性中风的关系.结果老年CAF患者血清胆固醇和甘油三酯增高、高密度脂蛋白降低与缺血性中风有明显关系(P＜0.05),其中胆固醇增高与缺血性中风关系最显著(P＜0.001).结论血脂异常是老年CAF患者发生缺血性中风的重要危险因素.     

矿物质代谢紊乱与钙化性主动脉瓣疾病的发生和严重性相关（英文）

目的:探讨在肾功能正常或轻度受损(肾小球滤过率≥60 ml/(min·1.73 m2))人群中矿物质代谢紊乱与钙化性主动脉瓣疾病的发生和严重性是否相关。创新点:以具有代表性和临床价值的肾功能正常或轻度受损人群为研究对象,首次尝试通过骨转换生物标志物检测探讨钙化性主动脉瓣疾病的可能机制。方法:入选260例经超声心动图诊断钙化性主动脉瓣疾病患者(164例钙化性主动脉瓣硬化,96例钙化性主动脉瓣狭窄)和164例年龄及性别匹配对照组人群,检测矿物质代谢和骨转换生化标志物,应用多因素回归分析矿物质代谢与钙化性主动脉瓣疾病的发生和严重性的关系,并初步探讨可能机制。结果显示,从对照组到钙化性主动脉瓣硬化至狭窄患者,血钙、血磷、碱性磷酸酶和甲状旁腺素(i PTH)水平进行性升高,25羟-维生素D(25-OHD)水平进行性降低,各组间差异具有统计学显著性(P<0.001);同样,骨转换生化标志物骨钙素(BGP)、I型前胶原N端前肽(PINP)和β-胶原特殊序列(β-CTx)水平进行性升高,各组间差异具有统计学显著性(P<0.001)。在钙化性主动脉瓣狭窄患者中,i PTH水平与跨瓣峰值流速和平均跨瓣压差显著正相关,25-OHD则显著负相关。经校正相关因素后,多因素回归分析显示,血钙、血磷、碱性磷酸酶和i PTH水平升高及25-OHD水平下降和钙化性主动脉瓣疾病的发生和严重性密切相关。结论:矿物质代谢紊乱与钙化性主动脉瓣疾病的发生和严重性密切相关,异常骨转换可能是其发生机制。     

Association between moderately oxidized low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein particle subclass distribution in hemodialyzed and post-renal transplant patients

Disturbances in the metabolism of lipoprotein profiles and oxidative stress in hemodialyzed (HD) and post-renal transplant (Tx) patients are proatherogenic, but elevated concentrations of plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. We investigated the concentrations of lipid, lipoprotein, HDL particle, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and anti-ox-LDL, and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity in HD (n=33) and Tx (n=71) patients who were non-smokers without active inflammatory disease, liver disease, diabetes, or malignancy. HD patients had moderate hypertriglyceridemia, normocholesterolemia, low HDL-C, apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) and HDL particle concentrations as well as PON-1 activity, and increased ox-LDL and anti-ox-LDL levels. Tx patients had hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, moderately decreased HDL-C and HDL particle concentrations and PON-1 activity, and moderately increased ox-LDL and anti-ox-LDL levels as compared to the reference, but ox-LDL and anti-ox-LDL levels and PON-1 activity were more disturbed in HD patients. However, in both patient groups, lipid and lipoprotein ratios (total cholesterol (TC)/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C, triglyceride (TG)/HDL-C, HDL-C/non-HDL-C, apoA-I/apoB, HDL-C/apoA-I, TG/HDL) were atherogenic. The Spearman’s rank coefficient test showed that the concentration of ox-LDL correlated positively with HDL particle level (R=0.363, P=0.004), and negatively with TC (R=−0.306, P=0.012), LDL-C (R=−0.283, P=0.020), and non-HDL-C (R=−0.263, P=0.030) levels in Tx patients. Multiple stepwise forward regression analysis in Tx patients demonstrated that ox-LDL concentration, as an independent variable, was associated significantly positively with HDL particle level. The results indicated that ox-LDL and decreased PON-1 activity in Tx patients may give rise to more mildly-oxidized HDLs, which are less stable, easily undergo metabolic remodeling, generate a greater number of smaller pre-β-HDL particles, and thus accelerate reverse cholesterol transport, which may be beneficial for Tx patients. Further studies are necessary to confirm this.     

匹伐他汀钙对高胆固醇血症患者动脉粥样硬化的影响（英文）

目的:观察匹伐他汀钙对高胆固醇血症患者外周血管的影响。创新点:首次在国内发现匹伐他汀钙能够改善高胆固醇血症患者肱动脉和颈动脉血管内皮功能而且延缓其动脉粥样硬化发展,并首次证实改善内皮功能是匹伐他汀钙延缓其动脉粥样硬化发展的重要原因。方法:按照入选排除标准,选取本院高胆固醇血症患者(HC),完成超声心动图检查的40例。根据剂量不同,分为两个剂量组:1 mg剂量组20例(男性5例,女性15例,平均年龄(55.20±8.35)岁),2 mg剂量组20例(男性9例,女性11例,平均年龄(57.56±6.09)岁)。访视结束后完成超声心动图检查的HC组36例,两个剂量组分别有2人失访。治疗后1 mg剂量组18例(男性3例,女性15例,平均年龄(56.00±7.85)岁),2 mg剂量组18例(男性7例,女性11例,平均年龄(57.79±6.46)岁)。选择本院同期体检中心30例正常人作为对照(年龄和性别均与病例组匹配,男性14例,女性16例,平均年龄(54.94±6.90)岁)。所有研究对象,均经隔夜禁食12~14小时,次日清晨抽取空腹肘静脉血,测定临床生化指标。采用Sequia512彩色多普勒超声诊断仪,应用高分辩率外周血管超声技术,检测HC治疗前后肱动脉血流介导性舒张功能(FMD)、颈动脉结构和功能。结论:经匹伐他汀钙治疗8周后,高胆固醇血症患者血管功能明显改善,表现为FMD升高,僵硬度减小;颈动脉僵硬度和内中膜厚度(IMT)延缓进展与其内皮功能改善密切相关。     

壳聚糖对乳房炎奶牛血清胆固醇、尿酸和肌酐的影响

为确定壳聚糖对奶牛乳房炎的治疗效果,选择产奶量、胎次和泌乳期相近,营养中等,乳房炎阴性奶牛6头,阳性30头,组成0(阴性对照组)、1(阳性对照组)和2、3、4、5组(试验组),每组6头.各组基础日粮和饲养管理相同.分别在基础日粮中添加壳聚糖0g、0g、10g、20g、40g和80g/d/头.连续喂养2周,分别与试验的0d、7d、14d采取血样,分离血清,测定血清中胆固醇、尿酸和肌酐的含量.结果:应用壳聚糖7～14d后,2、3、4、5组奶牛血清胆固醇含量均数有随壳聚糖用量的增加而降低的趋势,但差异不显著(P﹥0.05);血清尿酸和肌酐水平显著(P﹤0.05)或极显著(P﹤0.01)地降低.结论:壳聚糖具有加快乳房炎患牛机体对尿酸和肌酐排泄的功能,提高机体对炎症的抵抗力,促进机体的康复过程.     

Resistin levels of serum and follicular fluid in non-obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome during IVF cycles

Objectives: To measure serum and follicular resistin, steroids hormone levels in women with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) (BMI (body mass index)<25 kg/m²), to assess possible correlations of resistin to hormonal and metabolic parameters and to analyze the clinical outcomes of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) in women with PCOS and tubal infertility. Study design: We analyzed the clinical outcomes of IVF-ET in women with PCOS (BMI<25 kg/m²) and tubal infertility during the years 2002 to 2004 and compared the serum and follicular fluid resistin levels, estradiol (E₂), progesterone (P), testosterone (T) levels in 20 PCOS and 20 healthy, age-matched women without PCOS during IVF-stimulated cycles. The correlations between the resistin levels and the outcomes of IVF-ET were evaluated. Results: No significant differences in resistin levels of either serum or follicular fluid between PCOS and control group were found. However, resistin levels in serum were higher than that in follicular fluid in both groups. Multiple regression analysis showed that resistin levels in serum did not correlate with BMI, estradiol, LH (luteinizing hormone) and insulin level in fasting blood. No significant correlations were found between follicular fluid reisistin levels and fertilization rate, implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate or early miscarriage rate in both PCOS and control groups. Conclusion: Our results show that resistin does not have correlation with the hormonal and metabolic parameters as well as the outcomes of IVF. These data suggest that resistin is unlikely to be a local determinant factor in steroidogenesis and growth and maturation of oocytes during IVF-ET in lean women with PCOS.     

Effect of Tai Chi exercise on blood lipid profiles: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Objective

Studies have demonstrated that Tai Chi exercise improves blood lipid level with inconsistent results. A meta-analysis was conducted to quantify the effects of Tai Chi on blood lipid profiles in humans.

Methods

We screened the databases of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library (Central), Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang data, and Clinicaltrials.gov for randomized controlled trials with Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) score more than 3 points up to June 2015. Six studies involving 445 subjects were included. Most trials applied 12-week Tai Chi intervention courses.

Results

In comparison with the control group, blood triglyceride (TG) level difference between follow-up and baseline was statistically significantly lower in the Tai Chi practicing group (weighted mean difference (WMD) ?16.81 mg/dl; 95% confidence intervals (CI) ?31.27 to ?2.35 mg/dl; P=0.02). A trend to improving total cholesterol (TC) reduction was found with Tai Chi (WMD ?7.96 mg/dl; 95% CI ?17.30 to 1.39 mg/dl; P=0.10). However, no difference was found in blood low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C).

Conclusions

Tai Chi exercise lowered blood TG level with a trend to decrease blood TC level. Our data suggest that Tai Chi has the potential to implement meaningful blood lipid modification and serve as an adjunctive exercise modality. The relationship between Tai Chi exercise regimen and lipid profile change might have a scientific priority for future investigation.

     

Relationship between alanine aminotransferase levels and metabolic syndrome in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Objective:To investigate the relationship between alanine aminotransferase (ALT)levels and metabolic syndrome (MS)in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).Methods:A total of 26527 subjects who received medical health checkup in our hospital from January 2005 to July 2007 were enrolled in the study.The diagnosis of fatty liver was based on ultrasound imaging.MS Was defined according to the criteria of the Adult Treatment Panel Ⅲ.ALT,triglyceride(TG),high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-c),fasting plasma glucose(FPG),height,weight,waist circumference(WC),systolic blood pressure (SBP)and diastolic blood pressure(DBP)were measured in each subject to analyze the relationship between MS and ALT activity.Results:(1)The prevalence of NAFLD in men(30.94%)was significantly higher than that in women(15.65%);(2)The incidence of MS in NAFLD(33.83%)was significantly greater than that in non-NAFLD(10.62%);(3)Of the 6470 subjects with NAFLD,in the age-adjusted partial correlation analysis,there were statistically significant correlations between the ALT levels and most metabolic risk factors in each sex(P＜0.01),except that ALT levels had no correlation with HDL-c in women.Moreover,in the multiple stepwise regression analysis,SBP lost its significance,and WC,body mass index(BMI),age,DBP,TG and FPG were independently associated with ALT levels in both sexes (P＜0.05).HDL-c remained significant and was independently related to ALT leveis in men;(4)ALT levels were significantly higher in subjects with MS compared to those without MS(P＜0.001).Mean ALT levels increased with the number of MS cornponents in each sex (P.＜0.05 for trend).Conelusion:We found a strong relationship between ALT leveIs and MS in NAFLD and revealed that the cluster of MS components might be the predictor for ALT elevations.     

超敏C反应蛋白在乳腺疾病诊断中的临床研究

目的 探讨乳腺疾病患者血清超敏C反应蛋白（hs-CRP）的含量变化.方法 采用胶乳凝集反应法检测52例乳腺炎、37例乳腺囊性增生、29例乳腺囊肿、20例乳腺肌瘤和45例健康对照者血清中hs-CRP含量,并进行对比分析.结果 乳腺炎、乳腺囊性增生组的血清中hs-CRP含量与对照组比较,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）;乳腺囊肿,乳腺肌瘤组与对照组比较,差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）.结论 炎症反应性疾病患者hsCRP升高,而良性肿瘤患者hs-CRP含量正常.     

Phonological recoding,orthographic decoding,and comprehension skills during reading acquisition

To become skillful readers, children have to acquire the ability to translate printed words letter by letter into phonemic representations (phonological recoding) and the ability to recognize the written word forms holistically (orthographical decoding). Whereas phonological recoding is the key for learning to read and useful for recognizing unknown or low-frequent words, orthographical decoding is often more efficient and takes less time, thus facilitating reading processes on the sentence and text level. Several studies with English-speaking children provided evidence for the relevance of the two routes but the question whether and to what extent both word recognition skills contribute to reading comprehension in young German readers requires further clarification. Based on data from a cross-sectional study with German primary school children we investigated whether and to what extent both types of word recognition skills are associated with sentence (N = 666) and text comprehension skills (N = 149) and how these relationships develop from Grade 2 to 4. The results indicate that both phonological recoding skills and orthographical decoding skills are important for reading comprehension skills. Their relative weight does not change across grade levels.     

Frühübergang in ein grundständiges Gymnasium – Übergang in ein privilegiertes Entwicklungsmilieu?

This article examines whether students’ learning gains in reading and mathematics depend on the time of their transition from elementary school to the academic track of secondary schooling. Drawing on data from the ELEMENT study, the learning gains of fifth and sixth graders in elementary schools (N?=?3167) and academic-track schools with various curricular profiles (N?=?1758) in Berlin were modelled by regression and propensity score matching (PSM) analyses. When baseline differences between the school types were controlled, analyses for reading did not reveal statistically significant differences at all. Findings for mathematics were inconsistent depending on the method of analysis. Regression analysis showed statistically significant results of small effect size in favour of the academic-track schools. However, this finding could not be replicated by means of PSM. The study does not provide evidence for a generally positive effect of early transition to the academic track of secondary schooling with respect to mathematics and reading performance. Theoretical and methodological implications and limitations of the study are discussed.     

Thyroid dysfunction,either hyper or hypothyroidism,promotes gallstone formation by different mechanisms

We have investigated comprehensively the effects of thyroid function on gallstone formation in a mouse model. Gonadectomized gallstone-susceptible male C57BL/6 mice were randomly distributed into three groups each of which received an intervention to induce hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, or euthyroidism. After 5 weeks of feeding a lithogenic diet of 15% (w/w) butter fat, 1% (w/w) cholesterol, and 0.5% (w/w) cholic acid, mice were killed for further experiments. The incidence of cholesterol monohydrate crystal formation was 100% in mice with hyperthyroidism, 83% in hypothyroidism, and 33% in euthyroidism, the differences being statistically significant. Among the hepatic lithogenic genes, Trβ was found to be up-regulated and Rxr down-regulated in the mice with hypothyroidism. In contrast, Lxrα, Rxr, and Cyp7α1 were up-regulated and Fxr down-regulated in the mice with hyperthyroidism. In conclusion, thyroid dysfunction, either hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, promotes the formation of cholesterol gallstones in C57BL/6 mice. Gene expression differences suggest that thyroid hormone disturbance leads to gallstone formation in different ways. Hyperthyroidism induces cholesterol gallstone formation by regulating expression of the hepatic nuclear receptor genes such as Lxrα and Rxr, which are significant in cholesterol metabolism pathways. However, hypothyroidism induces cholesterol gallstone formation by promoting cholesterol biosynthesis.     

Does chess instruction improve mathematical problem-solving ability? Two experimental studies with an active control group

It has been proposed that playing chess enables children to improve their ability in mathematics. These claims have been recently evaluated in a meta-analysis (Sala & Gobet, 2016, Educational Research Review, 18, 46–57), which indicated a significant effect in favor of the groups playing chess. However, the meta-analysis also showed that most of the reviewed studies used a poor experimental design (in particular, they lacked an active control group). We ran two experiments that used a three-group design including both an active and a passive control group, with a focus on mathematical ability. In the first experiment (N = 233), a group of third and fourth graders was taught chess for 25 hours and tested on mathematical problem-solving tasks. Participants also filled in a questionnaire assessing their meta-cognitive ability for mathematics problems. The group playing chess was compared to an active control group (playing checkers) and a passive control group. The three groups showed no statistically significant difference in mathematical problem-solving or metacognitive abilities in the posttest. The second experiment (N = 52) broadly used the same design, but the Oriental game of Go replaced checkers in the active control group. While the chess-treated group and the passive control group slightly outperformed the active control group with mathematical problem solving, the differences were not statistically significant. No differences were found with respect to metacognitive ability. These results suggest that the effects (if any) of chess instruction, when rigorously tested, are modest and that such interventions should not replace the traditional curriculum in mathematics.     

Spelling development in Arabic as a foreign language among native Hebrew speaking pupils

It has been suggested that linguistic proximity affects the ease of acquisition between typologically similar languages, due to the fact that the languages have shared phonological and orthographic properties (Koda, 2008). Thus, a native Hebrew speaker learning Arabic as a foreign language (AFL) would be expected to easily develop linguistic proficiency. This study examined the developmental trajectory for spelling in AFL among native Hebrew speaking adolescents, with specific attention to the development of accurate representations for four novel phonemes and their graphic symbols ( ). The sample included eighth (N = 119), ninth (N = 125), and tenth graders (N = 91). We were further interested in examining the contribution of orthographic as opposed to phonological knowledge to spelling in AFL. Five experimental tasks were created for the study: real word recognition, orthographic sensitivity, auditory discrimination, and dictation of real and pseudowords. Findings for the eighth grade replicated earlier findings for real word spelling (Fragman & Russak, 2010) showing 20 % accuracy scores. While spelling accuracy improved by tenth grade, scores remained extremely low (25 %). Lexical representations for the four novel phonemes tested were also generally low, with different levels of accuracy for each phoneme. It is possible that the difficulties were the result of interference from shared linguistic elements. Finally, it was found that both orthographic as well as phonological knowledge contribute to real and pseudoword spelling. Implications of these findings are discussed in relation to language teaching policy and pedagogy.