Grandparents raising grandchildren: A Strength-Based Perspective and Intervention

Over the past two decades, the number of grandparents raising grandchildren has grown rapidly in the United States. In 2012, about 2.7 million Americans were responsible for the basic needs of co-residing grandchildren, with 37% of them aged 60 and older. Previous research largely emphasized the negative impacts of childcare on grandparent caregivers’ (GCs) well-being, while ignoring the rewards of raising grandchildren such as a source of happiness, pride, and accomplishment, and the resilience among GCs. Resilience is typically defined as the capacity to adapt successfully despite experiencing adversity. Resilient grandparents are characterized by positive appraisal and acceptance of their family life, the personality trait of persistence, maintenance of healthy boundaries within family, commitment to new life routines and their grandchildren, and social connectivity. Custodial grandparent caregivers without adequate resources are vulnerable and in needs of social support and services to maintain resilience. A strength-based perspective will provide a framework for designing and providing interventions with GP to enhance their resilience. This study aims to examine GC resilience within an adaptation framework that views social support and coping skills as key protective mechanisms in relation to GCs’ well-being. We will explore how individual attributes, family resources, interpersonal relationships, and external support systems contribute to resilience and health outcomes among GCs. Particularly, we will investigate the roles of social service utilization in enhancing resilience and explore how to develop strengthen-based interventions in collaboration with social service providers. We will use mixed methods of survey questionnaire and focus group among grandparent caregivers to find out their caregiving experience and to define GC resilience. Further, we will investigate social service accessibility and utilization among GC families through seeking information from social service providers. We will closely work with social service providers in developing strength-based interventions and improving caregiving outcomes

The Influence of Course Format, Student Characteristics, and Perceived Teacher Communication and Behavior on Instructional Outcomes Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Two studies examined instructional format (intact vs. hybrid and remote vs. online), classroom climate, student characteristics (engagement and communication apprehension), perceived teacher communication and behavior (teacher competence, clarity, caring), and their influence on instructional outcomes, including cognitive learning, communication satisfaction, and intent to persist in college pre-pandemic and during the pandemic. The findings highlight the important role teacher characteristics (caring, clarity, competence) played in instructional outcomes. This study also revealed that high levels of engagement signals students’ willingness to participate in the learning process. Students are a driving force in their own cognitive learning, communication satisfaction, and intent to persist in college. No statistically significant differences were found in instructional outcomes across various instructional formats

Asian American grandparents caring for grandchildren: Findings from the Census 2010-2012 American Community Survey

Research on grandparent caregivers has received growing attention, yet information about Asian American grandparents is limited. Using 2010-2012 American Community Survey (ACS) data, this study provides a national profile of Asian American grandparent caregivers across ethnic groups by region (East, Southeast, and South Asians), and examines socioeconomic and cultural factors related to grandparent caregiving. Of the over half a million Asian Americans who lived with grandchildren during 2010-2012, about 16 percent reported as primary caregivers, and over 31 percent lived in grandparent-headed households. Compared with East Asians, South Asian grandparents were less likely to be primary caregivers for their grandchildren, but no difference was observed between East and Southeast Asians. East Asian grandparents, especially noncitizens, were more likely to care for their grandchildren than native born citizens. Marital status, citizenship, language spoken at home, employment, and poverty level were related to the odds of being the primary caregivers, but the relationships varied by ethnic groups. Findings indicate ethnic heterogeneity in Asian American grandparent caregiving and the necessity for future research in this understudied population. In general, grandparent caregivers and their households may face greater financial challenges than non-caregivers. Attention and effort are needed in policy and practice arenas to address specific individual and household needs after taking into account ethnic, cultural, and economic characteristics

Lipocalin 2 protects from lung tumorigenesis associated with gut microbiota alterations

https://openworks.mdanderson.org/sumexp22/1112/thumbnail.jp

A consistent estimate for gravitational wave and electromagnetic transient rates

Gravitational wave transients, resulting from the merger of two stellar remnants, are now detectable. The properties and rates of these directly relates to the stellar population which gave rise to their progenitors, and thus to other, electromagnetic transients which result from stellar death. We aim to estimate simultaneously the event rates and delay time distribution of gravitational wave-driven compact object mergers together with the rates of core collapse and thermonuclear supernovae within a single consistent stellar population synthesis paradigm. We combine event delay-time distributions at different metallicities from the Binary Population and Spectral Synthesis (BPASS) models with an analytic model of the volume-averaged cosmic star formation rate density and chemical evolution to determine the volume-averaged rates of each event rate at the current time. We estimate rates in excellent agreement with extant observational constraints on core-collapse supernovae, thermonuclear supernovae and long GRBs. We predict rates for gravitational wave mergers based on the same stellar populations, and find rates consistent with current LIGO estimates. We note that tighter constraints on the rates of these events will be required before it is possible to determine their redshift evolution, progenitor metallicity dependence or constrain uncertain aspects of stellar evolution

Role of Inflammation in 20-HETE Regulation of Ischemia-Induced Angiogenesis

Objective: 20-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE), an important bioactive lipid metabolite, has recently been identified to be a novel contributor of angiogenesis secondary to ischemia. Moreover, an inflammatory response is required for the initiation of ischemic angiogenesis, in response to ischemic tissue injury. The goal of this study is to investigate the role of inflammation in 20-HETE regulation of ischemia-induced angiogenesis. Methods: We first established a mouse hind limb ischemia model for immunocompetent Balb/C mice and immunodeficient NOD-SCID mice by femoral artery ligation. Groups of Balb/C and NOD-SCID mice were administered a 20-HETE synthesis inhibitor, DDMS, or saline as a solvent control. Laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI) was used to visualize and quantify blood perfusion on days 0, 1, 3, 7, 14, and 21 post ligation, confirmed by microvessel density analysis. LC/MS/MS analysis was performed on day 3 post ligation on ischemic and non-ischemic control gracilis muscles to measure 20-HETE levels. Additionally, an antibody to lymphocyte antigen 6 complex (Ly6G/C) was administered to neutralize the infiltration of neutrophils, macrophages, and monocytes. 20-HETE levels were again measured on day 3 post ligation in these mice. Results: Quantification of the compensatory blood perfusion recovery post ischemia by LDPI showed that immunocompetent Balb/C control mice demonstrated a normal course of the compensatory angiogenic response while NOD-SCID immunodeficient mice showed a significantly decreased response. Additionally, DDMS was shown to inhibit the compensatory response in Balb/C mice, while no inhibitory effect was observed in immunodeficient NOD-SCID mice. This observation is confirmed by a marked decrease in microvessel density in SCID mice (1.5±0.2) post ischemia compared to immunocompetent Balb/C mice (2.65±0.32). As expected, ischemia markedly increased 20-HETE levels in the ischemic gracilis muscle of Balb/C mice by 6-fold (6±2 in non-ischemic vs 27±5 pg/mg in ischemic), while levels in NOD-SCID mice showed no change between the ischemic and non-ischemic control. Lastly, Balb/C mice that were treated with Ly6G/C neutralizing antibody exhibited significantly decreased 20-HETE levels in their ischemic gracilis muscle compared to the non-ischemic control. Conclusion: Inflammation may be an essential contributor in 20-HETE regulation of the ischemia-induced angiogenic response