Native Hawaiian Grandparents: Exploring Benefits and Challenges in the Caregiving Experience

Background: Increasingly, U.S. grandparents are raising their grandchildren. In Hawai‘i, 12% of Native Hawaiian grandparents live with grandchildren, compared to 7% of grandparents in all races combined in the state, and to 3.6% of grandparents in the total U.S. Although strong family-centric cultural values may provide Native Hawaiian grandparents with caregiving benefits, a generally poor health profile suggests they may also face challenges in this role. In this study, we talked to Native Hawaiian grandparents raising grandchildren (GRG) about the benefits and challenges of their caregiving experiences. Method: Three focus groups were conducted with Native Hawaiian grandparents (n=33) in Hawai‘i who were 55 years of age or older and caregivers to their grandchildren. Findings: The most prevalent themes voiced by grandparents spoke of the benefits of being a grandparent caregiver (the greatest being the experience of mutual, unconditional love) and the enjoyment of passing on “life lessons” to their grandchildren. Grandparents identified concrete examples of what they provided to grandchildren and also spoke of their role in transmission of Native Hawaiian cultural values, practices, and stories to their grandchildren. A number of challenges pertaining to grandparent caregiving were identified along with needed services—respite care, financial assistance, children’s programs, and information on grandparent legal rights. Despite these challenges, grandparents preferred to seek help from extended family rather than from formal supports. Our results support previous research on a number of universal GRG needs and services (i.e., legal rights of GRG) but also suggest potential directions to meeting the needs of Native Hawaiian GRG that are responsive to indigenous cultural values and preferences. Given the number of unmet needs expressed, further research is needed to design interventions for this population of grandparents raising grandchildren

Performance evaluation of a preclinical SPECT scanner with a collimator designed for medium-sized animals

BACKGROUND: Equipped with two stationary detectors, a large bore collimator for medium-sized animals has been recently introduced for dedicated preclinical single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging. We aimed to evaluate the basic performance of the system using phantoms and healthy rabbits. METHODS: A general-purpose medium-sized animal (GP-MSA) collimator with 135 mm bore diameter and thirty-three holes of 2.5 mm diameter was installed on an ultrahigh-resolution scanner equipped with two large stationary detectors (U-SPECT5-E/CT). The sensitivity and uniformity were investigated using a point source and a cylinder phantom containing (99m)Tc-pertechnetate, respectively. Uniformity (in %) was derived using volumes of interest (VOIs) on images of the cylinder phantom and calculated as [(maximum count − minimum count)/(maximum count + minimum count) × 100], with lower values of % indicating superior performance. The spatial resolution and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) were evaluated with images of a hot-rod Derenzo phantom using different activity concentrations. Feasibility of in vivo SPECT imaging was finally confirmed by rabbit imaging with the most commonly used clinical myocardial perfusion SPECT agent [(99m)Tc]Tc-sestamibi (dynamic acquisition with a scan time of 5 min). RESULTS: In the performance evaluation, a sensitivity of 790 cps/MBq, a spatial resolution with the hot-rod phantom of 2.5 mm, and a uniformity of 39.2% were achieved. The CNRs of the rod size 2.5 mm were 1.37, 1.24, 1.20, and 0.85 for activity concentration of 29.2, 1.0, 0.5, and 0.1 MBq/mL, respectively. Dynamic SPECT imaging in rabbits allowed to visualize most of the thorax and to generate time-activity curves of the left myocardial wall and ventricular cavity. CONCLUSION: Preclinical U-SPECT5-E/CT equipped with a large bore collimator demonstrated adequate sensitivity and resolution for in vivo rabbit imaging. Along with its unique features of SPECT molecular functional imaging is a superior collimator technology that is applicable to medium-sized animal models and thus may promote translational research for diagnostic purposes and development of novel therapeutics

In vivo functional assessment of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporters (SGLTs) using [18F]Me4FDG PET in rats

BACKGROUND: Mediating glucose absorption in the small intestine and renal clearance, sodium glucose cotransporters (SGLTs) have emerged as an attractive therapeutic target in diabetic patients. A substantial fraction of patients, however, only achieve inadequate glycemic control. Thus, we aimed to assess the potential of the SGLT-targeting PET radiotracer alpha-methyl-4-deoxy-4-[(18)F]fluoro-D-glucopyranoside ([(18)F]Me4FDG) as a noninvasive intestinal and renal biomarker of SGLT-mediated glucose transport. METHODS: We investigated healthy rats using a dedicated small animal PET system. Dynamic imaging was conducted after administration of the reference radiotracer 2-deoxy-2-[(18)F]fluoro-D-glucose ([(18)F]FDG), or the SGLT-targeting agent, [(18)F]Me4FDG either directly into the digestive tract (for assessing intestinal absorption) or via the tail vein (for evaluating kidney excretion). To confirm the specificity of [(18)F]Me4FDG and responsiveness to treatment, a subset of animals was also pretreated with the SGLT inhibitor phlorizin. In this regard, an intraintestinal route of administration was used to assess tracer absorption in the digestive tract, while for renal assessment, phlorizin was injected intravenously (IV). RESULTS: Serving as reference, intestinal administration of [(18)F]FDG led to slow absorption with retention of 89.2 ± 3.5% of administered radioactivity at 15 min. [(18)F]Me4FDG, however, was rapidly absorbed into the blood and cleared from the intestine within 15 min, leading to markedly lower tracer retention of 18.5 ± 1.2% (P < 0.0001). Intraintestinal phlorizin led to marked increase of [(18)F]Me4FDG uptake (15 min, 99.9 ± 4.7%; P < 0.0001 vs. untreated controls), supporting the notion that this PET agent can measure adequate SGLT inhibition in the digestive tract. In the kidneys, radiotracer was also sensitive to SGLT inhibition. After IV injection, [(18)F]Me4FDG reabsorption in the renal cortex was significantly suppressed by phlorizin when compared to untreated animals (%ID/g at 60 min, 0.42 ± 0.10 vs. untreated controls, 1.20 ± 0.03; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: As a noninvasive read-out of the concurrent SGLT expression in both the digestive tract and the renal cortex, [(18)F]Me4FDG PET may serve as a surrogate marker for treatment response to SGLT inhibition. As such, [(18)F]Me4FDG may enable improvement in glycemic control in diabetes by PET-based monitoring strategies

Substrate incubation time after fungi inoculation in the control tomato seedling damping-off

The use of fungi of the genus Trichoderma spp. for the control of plant diseases it has proved to be an important and promising tool, mainly for the tomato crop production system, however, there are difficulties in establishing the bioagent. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of substrate incubation time after inoculation with Trichoderma harzianum to control the damping-off of tomato seedlings. The experimental design was completely randomized, consisting of six treatments and four replications. The treatments are two incubation times in two doses of T. harzianum (0 and 10 days of substrate incubation [DIST] after inoculation with T. harzianum in 1.0 or 5.0 g of T. harzianum) and two controls (control inoculated and not inoculated with Rhizoctonia solani). The variables analyzed were incidence of damping-off, area under the disease progress curve, percentage of emergence, emergency speed index, average emergency time, germination speed coefficient, total fresh mass, root length (cm) and height of the area part (cm). The treatments containing Trichoderma harzianum have proven to be promising for the control of R. solani and for the growth of tomato seedlings

REGENERAÇÃO NATURAL DO COMPONENTE ARBÓREO APÓS A MORTALIDADE DE UM MACIÇO DE TAQUARA EM UM FRAGMENTO DE FLORESTA OMBRÓFILA MISTA EM LAGES - SC

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509817467The present study aimed to analyze the floristic and structural descriptors of tree species natural regeneration in a forest sector with synchronized bamboo (Merostachys multiramea Hackel ) die-off (CT) and an adjacent area with continuous canopy cover (ST) in an araucaria forest fragment in the municipality of Lages, Santa Catarina state. A total of 14, 5x5m, plots (six plots in CT sector and eight in ST sector) were allocated, where all tree species regenerative individual with circumference at breast height smaller than 15cm and height higher than 25cm was measured (diameter at soil level) and identified. The richest families were: Myrtaceae (nine), Solanaceae (six) and Aquifoliaceae (four). The Shannon Diversity Index in ST and CT sectors were respectively 2.73 and 2.31. The species with the highest importance values in CT sector were Solanum variabile, Piptocarpha angustifolia, Mimosa scabrella, Jacaranda puberula and Solanum pseudoquina. In ST sector, the species with highest importance values were Myrsine lorentziana, Casearia decandra, Cinnamodendron dinisii, Drimys brasiliensis and Ilex paraguariensis. The results showed that the synchronized bamboo die-off influenced the spatial variation in the floristic and structural descriptors of the tree species natural regeneration.http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509817467O presente trabalho teve como objetivo analisar a composição florística e a estrutura da regeneração natural em um setor onde ocorreu a mortalidade sincronizada de um maciço de taquara (Merostachys multiramea Hackel) (CT) e em uma área adjacente, com dossel contínuo e ausência de taquara (ST), em um fragmento de Floresta Ombrófila Mista Montana em Lages - SC. Foram alocadas 14 unidades amostrais de 5 x 5 m (seis no setor CT e oito no setor ST), nas quais todos os indivíduos arbóreos regenerantes com circunferência a altura do peito (CAP) ≤ 15 cm e altura ≥ 25 cm foram identificados e mensurados (diâmetro do colo). As famílias com maior riqueza de espécies foram: Myrtaceae (nove), Solanaceae (seis) e Aquifoliaceae (quatro). O setor ST apresentou um índice de diversidade de Shannon de 2,73 e o setor CT apresentou o valor de 2,31. Solanum variabile, Piptocarpha angustifolia, Mimosa scabrella, Jacaranda puberula e Solanum pseudoquina foram as espécies de maior valor de importância (VI) no setor CT. As espécies de maior VI no setor ST foram Myrsine lorentziana, Casearia decandra, Cinnamodendron dinisii, Drimys brasiliensis e Ilex paraguariensis. Os resultados mostraram que a mortalidade sincronizada de indivíduos de taquara influenciou na variação espacial dos descritores florísticos e estruturais da regeneração natural de espécies arbóreas

TREE SPECIES NATURAL REGENERATION AFTER A MASSIVE BAMBOO DIE-OFF IN AN ARAUCARIA FOREST FRAGMENT IN LAGES, SANTA CATARINA STATE

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo analisar a composicao floristica e a estrutura da regeneracao natural em um setor onde ocorreu a mortalidade sincronizada de um macico de taquara ( Merostachys multiramea Hackel) (CT) e em uma area adjacente, com dossel continuo e ausencia de taquara (ST), em um fragmento de Floresta Ombrofila Mista Montana em Lages - SC. Foram alocadas 14 unidades amostrais de 5 x 5 m (seis no setor CT e oito no setor ST), nas quais todos os individuos arboreos regenerantes com circunferencia a altura do peito (CAP) . 15 cm e altura . 25 cm foram identificados e mensurados (diametro do colo). As familias com maior riqueza de especies foram: Myrtaceae (nove), Solanaceae (seis) e Aquifoliaceae (quatro). O setor ST apresentou um indice de diversidade de Shannon de 2,73 e o setor CT apresentou o valor de 2,31. Solanum variabile , Piptocarpha angustifolia , Mimosa scabrella , Jacaranda puberula e Solanum pseudoquina foram as especies de maior valor de importancia (VI) no setor CT. As especies de maior VI no setor ST foram Myrsine l orentziana, Casearia decandra , Cinnamodendron dinisii , Drimys brasiliensis e Ilex paraguariensis . Os resultados mostraram que a mortalidade sincronizada de individuos de taquara influenciou na variacao espacial dos descritores floristicos e estruturais da regeneracao natural de especies arboreas.The present study aimed to analyze the floristic and structural descriptors of tree species natural regeneration in a forest sector with synchronized bamboo (Merostachys multiramea Hackel ) die-off (CT) and an adjacent area with continuous canopy cover (ST) in an araucaria forest fragment in the municipality of Lages, Santa Catarina state. A total of 14, 5x5m, plots (six plots in CT sector and eight in ST sector) were allocated, where all tree species regenerative individual with circumference at breast height smaller than 15cm and height higher than 25cm was measured (diameter at soil level) and identified. The richest families were: Myrtaceae (nine), Solanaceae (six) and Aquifoliaceae (four). The Shannon Diversity Index in ST and CT sectors were respectively 2.73 and 2.31. The species with the highest importance values in CT sector were Solanum variabile , Piptocarpha angustifolia , Mimosa scabrella , Jacaranda puberula and Solanum pseudoquina . In ST sector, the species with highest importance values were Myrsine l orentziana, Casearia decandra , Cinnamodendron dinisii , Drimys brasiliensis and Ilex paraguariensis . The results showed that the synchronized bamboo die-off influenced the spatial variation in the floristic and structural descriptors of the tree species natural regeneration

TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Archaea Symbiont of T. cruzi Infection May Explain Heart Failure in Chagas Disease

Background: Archaeal genes present in Trypanosoma cruzi may represent symbionts that would explain development of heart failure in 30% of Chagas disease patients. Extracellular vesicles in peripheral blood, called exosomes (&lt; 0.1 μm) or microvesicles (&gt;0.1 μm), present in larger numbers in heart failure, were analyzed to determine whether they are derived from archaea in heart failure Chagas disease.Methods: Exosomes and microvesicles in serum supernatant from 3 groups were analyzed: heart failure Chagas disease (N = 26), asymptomatic indeterminate form (N = 21) and healthy non-chagasic control (N = 16). Samples were quantified with transmission electron microscopy, flow cytometer immunolabeled with anti-archaemetzincin-1 antibody (AMZ 1, archaea collagenase) and probe anti-archaeal DNA and zymography to determine AMZ1 (Archaeal metalloproteinase) activity.Results: Indeterminate form patients had higher median numbers of exosomes/case vs. heart failure patients (58.5 vs. 25.5, P &lt; 0.001), higher exosome content of AMZ1 antigens (2.0 vs. 0.0; P &lt; 0.001), and lower archaeal DNA content (0.2 vs. 1.5, P = 0.02). A positive correlation between exosomes and AMZ1 content was seen in indeterminate form (r = 0.5, P &lt; 0.001), but not in heart failure patients (r = 0.002, P = 0.98). Higher free archaeal DNA (63.0 vs. 11.1, P &lt; 0.001) in correlation with exosome numbers (r = 0.66, P = 0.01) was seen in heart failure but not in indeterminate form (r = 0.29, P = 0.10). Flow cytometer showed higher numbers of AMZ1 microvesicles in indeterminate form (64 vs. 36, P = 0.02) and higher archaeal DNA microvesicles in heart failure (8.1 vs. 0.9, P &lt; 0.001). Zymography showed strong% collagenase activity in HF group, mild activity in IF compared to non-chagasic healthy group (121 ± 14, 106 ± 13 and 100; P &lt; 0.001).Conclusions: Numerous exosomes, possibly removing and degrading abnormal AMZ1 collagenase, are associated with indeterminate form. Archaeal microvesicles and their exosomes, possibly associated with release of archaeal AMZ1 in heart failure, are future candidates of heart failure biomarkers if confirmed in larger series, and the therapeutic focus in the treatment of Chagas disease