Pre-treatment with ß-hydroxybutyrate mitigates cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury.

ß-Hydroxybutyrate (ß-HB), the primary circulating ketone body, plays a dual role as both a metabolic fuel and an endogenous signaling molecule, offering diverse systemic benefits. Recent studies have highlighted the renoprotective effects of exogenous ß-HB therapy in various animal models of kidney disease. In this investigation, our goal was to assess whether pre-treatment with exogenous ß-HB could alleviate kidney damage in a mouse model of cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI). Prior to cisplatin administration, intraperitoneal administration of ß-HB was carried out, and the groups were classified into four: Sham, ß-HB, cisplatin, and ß-HB + cisplatin. The tubular damage score and serum creatinine levels were significantly lower in the ß-HB + cisplatin group compared to the cisplatin group. Furthermore, the expression of phosphorylated NF-κB, inflammatory cytokines, and the quantity of F4/80-positive macrophages in the ß-HB + cisplatin group were reduced compared to those in the cisplatin group. Additionally, oxidative stress markers for DNA, protein, and lipid in the ß-HB + cisplatin group were markedly diminished compared to those in the cisplatin group. The number of TUNEL-positive and cleaved caspase 3-positive tubular cells in the ß-HB + cisplatin group was lower than in the cisplatin group. Pre-treating with exogenous ß-HB effectively mitigated kidney damage by suppressing inflammation, oxidative stress, and tubular apoptosis in cisplatin-induced AKI. Therefore, exogenous ß-HB as a pre-treatment emerges as a promising and novel strategy for preventing cisplatin-induced AKI.

Do the relations of vocabulary and attentional control with word reading and spelling change as a function of development and spelling scoring method?

The current study examined the potentially changing relations of vocabulary knowledge and attentional control with word reading and spelling from Grade 2 to Grade 4. Spelling was scored using a conventional correctness score and an alternative nonbinary scoring method that reflects the degree of correctness (i.e., text distance). A total of 165 Grade 2 English-speaking children in the United States were longitudinally followed from Grade 2 to Grade 4 with annual assessments on word reading, spelling, vocabulary, and attentional control. Results from multiple linear regression models in each grade revealed that spelling was significantly related with vocabulary in Grades 3 and 4 and to attentional control in Grades 2 and 3. A reverse pattern emerged for word reading, where word reading was significantly related with vocabulary only in Grade 2 and to attentional control only in Grade 4. The results were similar for either spelling scoring method. Our findings underscore the dynamic relations of vocabulary and attentional control with word reading and spelling for children in Grades 2 to 4. Nonbinary scoring methods for spelling such as text distance might not provide additional insights compared with conventional correctness scores for the relations of vocabulary and attentional control with spelling.

Cinnamyl Alcohol Attenuates Adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 Cells by Arresting the Cell Cycle.

Cinnamyl alcohol (CA) is an aromatic compound found in several plant-based resources and has been shown to exert anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial activities. However, the anti-adipogenic mechanism of CA has not been sufficiently studied. The present study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of CA on the regulation of adipogenesis. As evidenced by Oil Red O staining, Western blotting, and real-time PCR (RT-PCR) analyses, CA treatment (6.25-25 µM) for 8 d significantly inhibited lipid accumulation in a concentration-dependent manner and downregulated adipogenesis-related markers (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα), fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), adiponectin, fatty acid synthase (FAS)) in 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, dexamethasone, and insulin(MDI)-treated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In particular, among the various differentiation stages, the early stage of adipogenesis was critical for the inhibitory effect of CA. Cell cycle analysis using flow cytometry and Western blotting showed that CA effectively inhibited MDI-induced initiation of mitotic clonal expansion (MCE) by arresting the cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase and downregulating the expression of C/EBPß, C/EBPδ, and cell cycle markers (cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6), cyclin E1, CDK2, and cyclin B1). Moreover, AMP-activated protein kinase α (AMPKα), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), markers of upstream signaling pathways, were phosphorylated during MCE by CA. In conclusion, CA can act as an anti-adipogenic agent by inhibiting the AMPKα and ERK1/2 signaling pathways and the cell cycle and may also act as a potential therapeutic agent for obesity.

Time-Restricted Feeding Protects against Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Mice.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in the kidneys is a major cause of acute kidney injury (AKI). Time-restricted feeding (TRF), known for its metabolic health benefits and alleviation of various chronic diseases without calorie restriction, was investigated for its potential protective effects against IRI-induced AKI. Male C57BL/6 mice underwent unilateral IRI, with their kidneys collected after two days. For two weeks before IRI induction, the TRF group had unlimited access to standard chow but within an 8-hour feeding window during the dark cycle. The study groups were Control, TRF, IRI, and TRF + IRI. In the TRF + IRI group, tubular damage scores significantly decreased compared to the IRI group. Furthermore, the TRF + IRI mice had lower levels of phosphorylated NF-κB and fewer F4/80-positive macrophages than the IRI group. Oxidative stress markers for lipids and proteins were also notably lower in the TRF + IRI group. Additionally, TUNEL-positive tubular cells and cleaved caspase-3 expression were reduced in the TRF + IRI group. Without calorie restriction, TRF mitigated renal damage by reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and tubular apoptosis in renal IRI. This suggests that TRF could be a promising dietary strategy to prevent IRI-induced AKI.

Simultaneous determination of the free and total forms of nonylphenol, nonylphenol monoethoxylate, and nonylphenol diethoxylate in human urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Nonylphenol (NP), nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP1EO), and nonylphenol diethoxylate (NP2EO) are widely used in various daily products and have been cataloged as endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Due to their high lipophilicity and low biodegradability, these compounds remain in the environment and enter the human body through the food chain. Growing concerns regarding the potential negative effects of NP, NP1EO, and NP2EO on human health have raised the need for biomonitoring to investigate human exposure to these compounds. In this study, a simultaneous analysis method using solid-phase extraction (SPE) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was established by controlling the background contamination of NP, NP1EO, and NP2EO, which are ubiquitous in laboratory environments. The proposed method showed proper linearity of over 0.999 and a recovery greater than 85.8% for all analytes. Accuracy and precision were verified in ranges of 92.97-116.30% and 0.65-9.29%, respectively. The detection limits for NP, NP1EO, and NP2EO were 0.0363 µg L-1, 0.0401 µg L-1, and 0.0364 µg L-1, respectively, which were suitable for determining the trace analytes in human urine. Therefore, this simple and integrated analytical method was applied to measure the free and total forms of the target analytes in 25 human urine samples collected in Korea. Overall, free NP, NP1EO, and NP2EO were detected with average contents of 3.94 ± 4.14 µg L-1, 4.63 ± 2.62 µg L-1, and 0.293 ± 0.638 µg L-1, respectively, and with total NP, NP1EO, and NP2EO contents of 6.14 ± 8.24 µg L-1, 5.99 ± 2.91 µg L-1, and 0.806 ± 1.10 µg L-1, respectively. These data showed that these compounds are prevalent in human urine, and indicate the need for further studies.

ß-hydroxybutyrate ameliorates sepsis-induced acute kidney injury.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a major cause of acute kidney injury (AKI). Recent studies have demonstrated that ß-hydroxybutyrate (ß-HB) alleviates renal ischemia-reperfusion injury and cisplatin-induced renal injury in murine models. This study aimed to investigate whether ß-HB ameliorates sepsis-induced AKI (SIAKI) in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse sepsis model. METHODS AND RESULTS: SIAKI was induced by intraperitoneally injecting LPS to C57BL/6 male mice. ß-HB was administrated intraperitoneally before LPS injection. The mice were divided into sham, ß-HB, LPS, and ß-HB + LPS groups. The histological damage score and serum creatinine level were significantly increased in the LPS group mice, but attenuated in the ß-HB + LPS group mice. The expression of phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB tumor necrosis factor-α/interleukin-6 and the number of F4/80-positive macrophages in the ß-HB + LPS group mice were lower than those in the LPS group mice. The number of TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL)-positive tubular cells, cleaved caspase-3 expression, and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in the ß-HB + LPS group mice were lower than those in the LPS group mice. CONCLUSION: ß-HB pre-treatment ameliorates SIAKI by reducing tubular apoptosis and inflammatory responses. Thus, ß-HB pre-treatment could be a potential prophylactic strategy against SIAKI.

Oral discourse skills: Dimensionality of comprehension and retell of narrative and expository texts, and the relations of language and cognitive skills to identified dimensions.

We examined the dimensionality of oral discourse skills (comprehension and retell of texts) and the relations of language and cognitive skills to the identified dimensions. Data were from 529 English-speaking second graders (Mage = 7.42; 46% female; 52.6% Whites, 33.8% African Americans, 4.9% Hispanics, 4.7% two or more races, .8% Asian Americans, .6% American Indians, .2% Native Hawaiians, 2.5% unknown; data from 2014-2015 to 2016-2017). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that oral discourse skills are best described as four related but dissociable dimensions of narrative comprehension, narrative retell, expository comprehension, and expository retell (rs = .59-.84). Language and cognitive skills had different patterns of relations to the identified dimensions and explained larger amounts of variance in comprehension than in retell.

Executive Functions and Morphological Awareness Explain the Shared Variance Between Word Reading and Listening Comprehension.

Purpose: A large body of literature showed that word reading and listening comprehension-two proximal predictors of reading comprehension according to the simple view of reading-are related. Grounded on the direct and indirect effects model of reading (Kim, 2020a, 2020b, 2023), we examined the extent to which the relation is explained by domain-general cognitions or executive functions (working memory and attentional control) and emergent literacy skills (language and code-related skills including morphological awareness, phonological awareness, orthographic pattern recognition, letter naming fluency, and rapid automatized naming). Method: Data were from English-speaking children in Grade 1 (N = 372; 52% boys; 60% White children, 26% African American children, 6% multiracial children, 6% Hispanic children, and 2% Asian American children). Results: Results from structural equation models showed that word reading and listening comprehension were moderately related (.54). When working memory and attentional control were included as predictors, the relation became weaker (.39). When morphological awareness was additionally included, they were no longer related (.05). The other emergent literacy skills did not add explanatory power beyond executive functions and morphological awareness. Conclusion: These results indicate that executive functions and morphological awareness largely explain the shared variance between word reading and listening comprehension for English-speaking beginning readers.

Disfigured Faces Depicted in Modern Visual Media.

According to the German sociologist Georg Simmel, of all the parts of the body, the face has the highest degree of inner unity. This study aimed to analyze the depictions of disfigured faces in modern visual media (movie films). The keywords "disfigured-face" and "disfigured-face character" were searched on Google. Based on that information, 57 films were searched on IMDB and TMDB, as movie databases. Six films where the IMDB and TMDB overlapped were omitted, and 6 films not directly related to the concept of "disfigured face" were excluded. All animated movies were replaced with the original movies. Then, 45 valid films were finally selected, and 48 characters with disfigured faces were analyzed. Among 48 disfigured faces, 26 were in male characters and 22 were in female characters. Among the 48 disfigured faces, 30 (62.5%) did not improve and 18 (37.5%) improved. Characters who underwent facial deformity correction surgery were 56 times more likely to improve than those who did not. Characters whose facial disfiguration improved were 7.85 times more likely to have a happy ending than those who did not. Among the methods that the characters with disfigured faces used in attempts to overcome their deformity, surgery had the highest success rate. Although surgery is not perfect, the reality is that there are no other alternatives. The results of our film analysis study, which showed plastic surgery can improve the face and improve quality of life, can be seen as realistic and statistically significant.

Effect of Polycan, a ß-Glucan from Aureobasidium pullulans SM-2001, on Inflammatory Response and Intestinal Barrier Function in DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis.

Ulcerative colitis (UC), a subtype of inflammatory bowel disease, is a chronic gastrointestinal inflammatory disease with unclear etiology and pathophysiology. Herein, we determined the effects of extracellular polysaccharides purified from Aureobasidium pullulans SM-2001 (Polycan) on tight junction protein expression, inflammation, and apoptosis in a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced acute colitis model. Fifty mice were divided into normal, DSS, DSS + Polycan 250 mg/kg (Polycan 250), DSS + Polycan 500 mg/kg (Polycan 500), and DSS + 5-aminosalicylic acid 100 mg/kg (5-ASA) groups. Their body weights, colon lengths, histological changes in colon tissue, and tight junction function were observed. Results showed that Polycan 250, Polycan 500, and 5-ASA significantly inhibited body weight loss compared with DSS. Similar to 5-ASA, Polycan 500 exhibited preventive effects on colon length shortening and histological changes in colon tissues. Polycan inhibited the DSS-induced decrease in fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran permeability and myeloperoxidase activity. Moreover, Polycan significantly recovered serum cytokine (e.g., tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1ß) or mRNA expression in colon tissue compared with DSS. Polycan also inhibited apoptosis by reducing caspase-3 activity and the Bcl-2 associated X/B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) ratio. Additionally, DSS treatment significantly reduced microbial abundance and diversity, but the administration of Polycan reversed this effect. Collectively, Polycan protected intestinal barrier function and inhibited inflammation and apoptosis in DSS-induced colitis.

Genomic sequence of the non-pathogen Neisseria sp. strain MA1-1 with antibiotic resistance and virulence factors isolated from a head and neck cancer patient.

Recent research has claimed virulence factors or antimicrobial resistance in commensal or non-pathogenic Neisseria spp. This study aimed to isolate and analyze commensal microorganisms related to the genus Neisseria from the oral cavity of a patient with head and neck cancer. We successfully isolated strain MA1-1 and identified its functional gene contents. Although strain MA1-1 was related to Neisseria flava based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, genomic relatedness analysis revealed that strain MA1-1 was closely related to Neisseria mucosa, reported as a commensal Neisseria species. The strain MA1-1 genome harbored genes for microaerobic respiration and the complete core metabolic pathway with few transporters for nutrients. A number of genes have been associated with virulence factors and resistance to various antibiotics. In addition, the comparative genomic analysis showed that most genes identified in the strain MA1-1 were shared with other Neisseria spp. including two well-known pathogens, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis. This indicates that the gene content of intra-members of the genus Neisseria has been evolutionarily conserved and is stable, with no gene recombination with other microbes in the host. Finally, this study provides more fundamental interpretations for the complete gene sequence of commensal Neisseria spp. and will contribute to advancing public health knowledge.

Dialogue with a conversational agent promotes children's story comprehension via enhancing engagement.

Dialogic reading, when children are read a storybook and engaged in relevant conversation, is a powerful strategy for fostering language development. With the development of artificial intelligence, conversational agents can engage children in elements of dialogic reading. This study examined whether a conversational agent can improve children's story comprehension and engagement, as compared to an adult reading partner. Using a 2 (dialogic reading or non-dialogic reading) × 2 (agent or human) factorial design, a total of 117 three- to six-year-olds (50% Female, 37% White, 31% Asian, 21% multi-ethnic) were randomly assigned into one of the four conditions. Results revealed that a conversational agent can replicate the benefits of dialogic reading with a human partner by enhancing children's narrative-relevant vocalizations, reducing irrelevant vocalizations, and improving story comprehension.

Effect of ethanol washing on porcine pulmonary artery wall decellularization using sodium dodecyl sulfate.

BACKGROUND: To determine the effectiveness of ethanol (EtOH) washing on porcine pulmonary artery (PA) wall decellularization using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), we compared three different washing methods (phosphate-buffered saline [PBS], pH 9 alkali, and EtOH washing). METHODS: Fresh porcine PA walls were decellularized using 0.5% SDS and 0.5% sodium deoxycholate (SDC). The decellularized tissues were rinsed using three different washing techniques. Histological, biochemical, and mechanical analyses were conducted. Implantation into the subcutaneous tissue of rats and patch implantation into the carotid artery of dogs were performed as preliminary in vivo studies. RESULTS: The decellularization protocol based on SDS and SDC effectively removed the cells. The major extracellular matrix (ECM) structures (collagen, elastic fiber, and glycosaminoglycan) were properly preserved with the 75% EtOH-washing method. Significantly reduced residual SDS content was identified in EtOH-washed tissues compared to that in the other methods. No significant difference in the mechanical strength test was observed between the washing methods, and the EtOH-washing method showed better results in the metabolic activity test compared to the PBS-washing method. In the rat study model, no acute rejection or massive calcification was observed. The in vivo preliminary canine study showed better cell repopulation in the EtOH-washed group. CONCLUSION: EtOH washing of SDS-based decellularized porcine PA wall can reduce the residual SDS content and preserve ECM structures, especially the elastin content, and could also enhance cell repopulation after re-implantation.

Is reading prosody related to reading comprehension? A meta-analysis.

We examined the relation between reading prosody and reading comprehension, using a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the strength of the relation and to understand whether the strength of the relation varies by prosody feature (adult-like contour, F0 sentence-final declination, grammatical pauses, ungrammatical pauses, prosody scale), students' developmental phase of reading skill as examined by grade level, and orthographic depth. A total of 35 studies (K = 98; N = 9,349; Grades 1-9, 8 languages) met inclusion criteria. Overall a moderate relation (.51) was found between reading prosody and reading comprehension. Furthermore, the strength varied by prosody feature such that the relation was stronger for prosody rating scale than for pitch indicators such as adult-like contour and F0 sentence-final declination. However, grade and orthographic depth were not significant moderators. These results suggest that the relation between reading prosody and reading comprehension is not unitary and should consider specific aspects of reading prosody.

Expanding the Direct and Indirect Effects Model of Writing (DIEW): Reading-Writing Relations, and Dynamic Relations As a Function of Measurement/Dimensions of Written Composition.

Within the context of the Direct and Indirect Effects model of Writing, we examined a dynamic relations hypothesis, which contends that the relations of component skills, including reading comprehension, to written composition vary as a function of dimensions of written composition. Specifically, we investigated (a) whether higher order cognitive skills (i.e., inference, perspective taking, and monitoring) are differentially related to three dimensions of written composition-writing quality, writing productivity, and correctness in writing; (b) whether reading comprehension is differentially related to the three dimensions of written composition after accounting for oral language, cognition, and transcription skills; and whether reading comprehension mediates the relations of discourse oral language and lexical literacy to the three dimensions of written composition; and (c) whether total effects of oral language, cognition, transcription, and reading comprehension vary for the three dimensions of written composition. Structural equation model results from 350 English-speaking second graders showed that higher order cognitive skills were differentially related to the three dimensions of written composition. Reading comprehension was related only to writing quality, but not to writing productivity or correctness in writing; and reading comprehension differentially mediated the relations of discourse oral language and lexical literacy to writing quality. Total effects of language, cognition, transcription, and reading comprehension varied largely for the three dimensions of written composition. These results support the dynamic relation hypothesis, role of reading in writing, and the importance of accounting for dimensions of written composition in a theoretical model of writing.

Crosslinguistic Transfer of Higher Order Cognitive Skills and Their Roles in Writing for English-Spanish Dual Language Learners.

We investigated the dimensionality and relations between L1 and L2 writing skills in narrative and informational genres, and higher order cognitive skills-inference, perspective taking, and comprehension monitoring-for Spanish-English dual language learners in primary grades. Dimensions of written composition and higher order cognitive skills were examined, comparing nine alternative models. Data from 317 dual language learners in Grades 1 and 2 were used in confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. For the dimensionality of written composition, a unidimensional model, where writing was characterized as a single underlying construct across languages (Spanish and English) and genres (narrative & opinion), fit the data best. With regard to the dimensionality of higher order cognitive skills, data supported a bifactor model with (a) a general factor that captures common variance across languages and across inference, perspective taking, and comprehension monitoring skills and (b) specific factors by language (Spanish and English). The higher order cognition general factor was fairly strongly related to writing quality (.59), and the relation remained even after accounting for sex, poverty status, grade level, English learner status, school, and biliterate status. These relations were similar for students in English immersion program and Spanish-English dual immersion programs. These results indicate potential cross-language transfer of higher order cognitive skills, and the roles of higher order cognitions in written composition for Spanish-English dual language learners.

The Effects of Antioxidants on the Changes in Volatile Compounds in Heated Welsh Onions (Allium fistulosum L.) during Storage.

Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum L.) is usually used to enhance the flavor characteristics of various foods. Volatile compounds in Welsh onions, including sulfur-containing compounds, may vary during heat process and storage. Accordingly, the changes in the volatile compounds in Welsh onions, subjected to heat and antioxidant (ascorbic acid and glutathione) treatments during storage, are investigated in the present study. The majority of sulfur-containing compounds in Welsh onions showed significant differences between the untreated Welsh onions and heated Welsh onions. During the heating of the Welsh onions, some sulfur-containing compounds, such as 2-methylthiirane, 1-(methyldisulfanyl)prop-1-ene, 1-[[(E)-prop-1-enyl]disulfanyl]propane, 1-(propyltrisulfanyl)propane, 1-[[(E)-prop-1-enyl]trisulfanyl]propane, and (methyltetrasulfanyl)methane, showed significant differences between the untreated and heated Welsh onions (p < 0.05). In addition, partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was applied to discriminate the heated Welsh onion samples added with different antioxidants. The heated Welsh onion samples added with ascorbic acid was mainly associated with 2-phenylacetaldehyde, acetic acid, methylsulfanylmethane, prop-2-ene-1-thiol, undecan-2-one, and (2E,4E)-deca-2,4-dienal. Moreover, the key volatile compounds in the heated Welsh onion samples added with glutathione were 3-ethylthiophene, 1-(methyldisulfanyl)-1-methylsulfanylpropane, 1-methylsulfanylpentane, 2-prop-2-enylsulfanylpropane, and 1-propan-2-ylsulfanylbutane.

Evaluation of Caspase-3 and Ki-67 expression in squamous cell hyperplasia of the stomach induced by Platycodi radix water extract in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Platycodi radix is widely used in traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of bronchitis, asthma, pulmonary tuberculosis, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes. This study aimed to investigate cell proliferation (Ki-67) and apoptosis (Caspase-3) potential in squamous cell hyperplasia of the stomach induced by a Platycodi radix water extract in a subchronic toxicity study. One hundred formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded stomach tissues of rats treated with Platycodi radix at doses of 0, 500, 1,000, and 3,000 mg/kg body weight/day were used for the analysis. They were conventionally stained using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and immunohistochemically (IHC) stained using caspase-3 and Ki-67 antibodies. The incidence of squamous cell hyperplasia was significantly increased in the 3,000 mg/kg b.w./day treatment group in both sexes (p<0.01). However, the hyperplastic change was completely repaired after 4 weeks of recovery period. Ki-67 expression was similar in all groups, with no statistically significant differences among the groups. Caspase-3 expression was significantly increased in both sexes in the 3,000 mg/kg b.w./day treatment group (p<0.01), compared with the vehicle control groups, and then reduced to normal levels in the recovery groups in both sexes. In conclusion, this study showed that squamous cell hyperplasia induced by the Platycodi radix water extract in the limiting ridge of the stomach is not considered to be abnormal proliferative change; as a result, squamous cell hyperplasia is considered to be a non-adverse effect when induced by the oral administration of the Platycodi radix water extract once daily for 13 weeks in rats.

Do Written Language Bursts Mediate the Relations of Language, Cognitive, and Transcription Skills to Writing Quality?

In this study, we examined burst length and its relation with working memory, attentional control, transcription skills, discourse oral language, and writing quality, using data from English-speaking children in Grade 2 (N = 177; M age = 7.19). Results from structural equation modeling showed that burst length was related to writing quality after accounting for transcription skills, discourse oral language, working memory, and attentional control. Burst length completely mediated the relations of attentional control and handwriting fluency to writing quality whereas it partially mediated the relations of working memory and spelling to writing quality. Discourse oral language had a suppression effect on burst length but was positively and independently related to writing quality. Working memory had an indirect relation to burst length via transcription skills whereas attentional control had a direct and indirect relation. These results suggest roles of domain-general cognitions and transcription skills in burst length, and reveal the nature of their relations to writing quality.

Azelaic Acid Promotes Caenorhabditis elegans Longevity at Low Temperature Via an Increase in Fatty Acid Desaturation.

PURPOSE: Azelaic acid (AzA) is a dicarboxylic acid naturally occurring in various grains having anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidation properties. Recently, AzA is shown to reduce high-fat diet-induced adiposity in animals. However, its physiological role in lipid metabolism and aging in various environmental stresses is unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using C. elegans as an invertebrate animal model, we demonstrate that AzA suppresses fat accumulation with no effect on lifespan at normal temperatures. Moreover, AzA promotes lifespan at low temperatures by elevation of unsaturated long-chain fatty acids and expression of genes in fatty acid desaturation. We further find that genes encoding fatty acid desaturases such as fat-1, fat-5, fat-6, and fat-7 are crucial for the lifespan-extending effect of AzA at low temperature. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our results suggest that AzA promotes adaption to low temperature in C. elegans via shifting fatty acid profile to unsaturated long-chain fatty acids.