Intergenerational Ties in Context: Grandparents Caring for Grandchildren in China

Guided by theories and empirical research on intergenerational relationships, we examine the phenomenon of grandparents caring for grandchildren in contemporary China. Using a longitudinal dataset (China Health and Nutrition Survey), the authors document a high level of structural and functional solidarity in grandparent-grandchildren relationships. Intergenerational solidarity is indicated by a high rate of coresidence between grandchildren and grandparents, a sizable number of skipped-generation households (no parent present), extensive childcare involvement by non-coresidential grandparents, and a large amount of care provided by coresidential grandparents. Multivariate analysis further suggests that grandparents’ childcare load is adaptive to familial needs, as reflected by the characteristics of the household, household members and work activities of the mothers

Seismicity relocation and fault structure near the Leech River Fault Zone, southern Vancouver Island

Relatively low rates of seismicity and fault loading have made it challenging to correlate microseismicity to mapped surface faults on the forearc of southern Vancouver Island. Here we use precise relocations of microsciesmicity integrated with existing geologic data, to present the first identification of subsurface seismogenic structures associated with the Leech River fault zone (LRFZ) on southern Vancouver Island. We used HypoDD double difference relocation method to relocate 1253 earthquakes reported by the Canadian National Seismograph Network (CNSN) catalog from 1985 to 2015. Our results reveal an ~8-10 km wide, NNE-dipping zone of seismicity representing a subsurface structure along the eastern 30 km of the terrestrial LRFZ and extending 20 km farther eastward offshore, where the fault bifurcates beneath the Juan de Fuca Strait. Using a clustering analysis we identify secondary structures within the NNE-dipping fault zone, many of which are sub-vertical and exhibit right-lateral strike-slip focal mechanisms. We suggest that the arrangement of these near-vertical dextral secondary structures within a more general NE-dipping fault zone, located well beneath (10-15 km) the Leech River fault (LRF) as imaged by LITHOPROBE, may be a consequence of the reactivation of this fault system as a right-lateral structure in the crust with pre-existing NNE-dipping foliations. Our results provide the first confirmation of active terrestrial crustal faults on Vancouver Island using a relocation method. We suggest that slowly slipping active crustal faults, especially in regions with pre-existing foliations, may result in microseismicity along fracture arrays rather than along single planar structures

Place and informal care in an ageing society:reviewing the state of the art in geographical gerontology

Who cares for our frail older populations and where is fast becoming a critical issue for policy-makers and practitioners in many high income countries as they grapple with the economic and welfare implications of increasing longevity. This demographic shift is, of course, a major success story. However, increased life expectancy is also bringing with it a growth in those numbers of older people, particularly the oldest old, who are experiencing multiple morbidities and a declining ability to undertake those instrumental activities of daily life (IADLs) that are so important to maintaining independence and dignity in later life. At the same time, policy and practice has shifted away from residential or institutional care for our older population to focus on ‘ageing in place’. Here, older people are to be supported to remain within their own homes for as long as possible. Conceptually, this has meant that services and care previously delivered within a single institutional environment, have been redesigned for delivery within domestic settings where frail older people would also benefit from the informal care support from family, friends and neighbours. On the one hand, this has meant that many older people have benefited from the familiarity, sense of safety and support that care provided within the domestic setting has engendered; on the other, changing family structures, a decline in community and sweeping health and welfare cuts in an era of economic austerity have left growing numbers of older people increasingly lonely, isolated and at risk. Understanding who cares, where, the form that care takes and how this is being differentially experienced by our older populations have been issues of growing concern for geographers interested in health and ageing. In this paper I review the current ‘state of the art’ of geographical gerontology around informal care and the home and illustrate how those working in this field are making an important contribution to multidisciplinary debates around care of our older populations

Patients without colonoscopic follow-up after abnormal fecal immunochemical tests are often unaware of the abnormal result and report several barriers to colonoscopy.

BackgroundThe fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is the second most commonly used colorectal cancer (CRC) screening modality in the United States; yet, follow-up of abnormal FIT results with diagnostic colonoscopy is underutilized. Our objective was to determine patient-reported barriers to diagnostic colonoscopy following abnormal FIT in an academic healthcare setting.MethodsWe included patients age 50-75 with an abnormal FIT result between 1/1/2015 and 10/31/2017 and no documented follow-up diagnostic colonoscopy. We abstracted demographic data from the electronic health record (EHR). Study personnel conducted telephone surveys with patients to confirm colonoscopy completion and elicit data on notification of FIT results and barriers to colonoscopy. We also provided brief verbal education about diagnostic colonoscopy. We calculated frequencies of demographic data and survey responses and compared survey responses by interest in colonoscopy after education.ResultsWe surveyed 67 patients. Fifty-one were aware of the abnormal FIT result, and a majority learned of the abnormal FIT result by direct communication with providers (19, 37.3%) or EHR messaging (11, 21.6%). Overall, fifty-three patients (79.1%) confirmed lack of colonoscopy, citing provider-related (19, 35.8%), patient-related (16, 30.2%), system-related (1, 1.9%), or multifactorial (17, 32.1%) reasons. Lack of knowledge of FIT result (14, 26.4%) was most common. After brief education, 20 (37.7%) patients requested colonoscopy.ConclusionPatients with an abnormal FIT reported various multi-level barriers to diagnostic colonoscopy after abnormal FIT, including knowledge of FIT results. When provided with brief education, participants expressed interest in diagnostic colonoscopy. Future efforts will evaluate interventions to improve colonoscopy follow-up

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Connections of Tet3 Dioxygenase with CXXC Zinc Finger Modules.

Tet proteins are emerging as major epigenetic modulators of cell fate and plasticity. However, little is known about how Tet proteins are targeted to selected genomic loci in distinct biological contexts. Previously, a CXXC-type zinc finger domain in Tet1 was shown to bind CpG-rich DNA sequences. Interestingly, in human and mouse the Tet2 and Tet3 genes are adjacent to Cxxc4 and Cxxc10-1, respectively. The CXXC domains encoded by these loci, together with those in Tet1 and Cxxc5, identify a distinct homology group within the CXXC domain family. Here we provide evidence for alternative mouse Tet3 transcripts including the Cxxc10-1 sequence (Tet3(CXXC)) and for an interaction between Tet3 and Cxxc4. In vitro Cxxc4 and the isolated CXXC domains of Tet1 and Tet3(CXXC) bind DNA substrates with similar preference towards the modification state of cytosine at a single CpG site. In vivo Tet1 and Tet3 isoforms with and without CXXC domain hydroxylate genomic 5-methylcytosine with similar activity. Relative transcript levels suggest that distinct ratios of Tet3(CXXC) isoforms and Tet3-Cxxc4 complex may be present in adult tissues. Our data suggest that variable association with CXXC modules may contribute to context specific functions of Tet proteins

The Potential Roles of Long Noncoding RNAs (lncRNA) in Glioblastoma Development

Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) may contribute to the initiation and progression of tumor. In this study, we first systematically compared lncRNA and mRNA expression between glioblastoma and paired normal brain tissues using microarray data. We found 27 lncRNA and 82 mRNA significantly upregulated in glioblastoma, as well as 198 lncRNA and 285 mRNA significantly downregulated in glioblastoma. We identified 138 coexpressed lncRNA–mRNA pairs from these differentially expressed lncRNA and genes. Subsequent pathway analysis of the lncRNA-paired genes indicated that EphrinB–EPHB, p75-mediated signaling, TNFα/NF-κB, and ErbB2/ErbB3 signaling pathways might be altered in glioblastoma. Specifically, lncRNA RAMP2-AS1 had significant decrease of expression in glioblastoma tissues and showed coexpressional relationship with NOTCH3, an important tumor promoter in many neoplastic diseases. Our follow up experiment indicated that (i) an overexpression of RAMP2-AS1 reduced glioblastoma cell proliferation in vitro and also reduced glioblastoma xenograft tumors in vivo; (ii) NOTCH3 and RAMP2-AS1 coexpression rescued the inhibitory action of RAMP2-AS1 in glioblastoma cells; and (iii) RNA pull-down assay revealed a direct interaction of RAMP2-AS1 with DHC10, which may consequently inhibit, as we hypothesize, the expression of NOTCH3 and its downstream signaling molecule HES1 in glioblastoma. Taken together, our data revealed that lncRNA expression profile in glioblastoma tissue was significantly altered; and RAMP2-AS1 might play a tumor suppressive role in glioblastoma through an indirect inhibition of NOTCH3. Our results provided some insights into understanding the key roles of lncRNA–mRNA coregulation in human glioblastoma and the mechanisms responsible for glioblastoma progression and pathogenesis. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(12); 2977–86. ©2016 AACR

Crystal Structure of the Cysteine-Rich Domain of Mannose Receptor Complexed with a Sulfated Carbohydrate Ligand

The macrophage and epithelial cell mannose receptor (MR) binds carbohydrates on foreign and host molecules. Two portions of MR recognize carbohydrates: tandemly arranged C-type lectin domains facilitate carbohydrate-dependent macrophage uptake of infectious organisms, and the NH2-terminal cysteine-rich domain (Cys-MR) binds to sulfated glycoproteins including pituitary hormones. To elucidate the mechanism of sulfated carbohydrate recognition, we determined crystal structures of Cys-MR alone and complexed with 4-sulfated-N-acetylgalactosamine at 1.7 and 2.2 Å resolution, respectively. Cys-MR folds into an approximately three-fold symmetric β-trefoil shape resembling fibroblast growth factor. The sulfate portions of 4-sulfated-N-acetylgalactosamine and an unidentified ligand found in the native crystals bind in a neutral pocket in the third lobe. We use the structures to rationalize the carbohydrate binding specificities of Cys-MR and compare the recognition properties of Cys-MR with other β-trefoil proteins

Particle Size Distribution in Aluminum Manufacturing Facilities.

As part of exposure assessment for an ongoing epidemiologic study of heart disease and fine particle exposures in aluminum industry, area particle samples were collected in production facilities to assess instrument reliability and particle size distribution at different process areas. Personal modular impactors (PMI) and Minimicro-orifice uniform deposition impactors (MiniMOUDI) were used. The coefficient of variation (CV) of co-located samples was used to evaluate the reproducibility of the samplers. PM2.5 measured by PMI was compared to PM2.5 calculated from MiniMOUDI data. Mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) and concentrations of sub-micrometer (PM1.0) and quasi-ultrafine (PM0.56) particles were evaluated to characterize particle size distribution. Most of CVs were less than 30%. The slope of the linear regression of PMI_PM2.5 versus MiniMOUDI_PM2.5 was 1.03 mg/m3 per mg/m3 (± 0.05), with correlation coefficient of 0.97 (± 0.01). Particle size distribution varied substantively in smelters, whereas it was less variable in fabrication units with significantly smaller MMADs (arithmetic mean of MMADs: 2.59 μm in smelters vs. 1.31 μm in fabrication units, p = 0.001). Although the total particle concentration was more than two times higher in the smelters than in the fabrication units, the fraction of PM10 which was PM1.0 or PM0.56 was significantly lower in the smelters than in the fabrication units (p < 0.001). Consequently, the concentrations of sub-micrometer and quasi-ultrafine particles were similar in these two types of facilities. It would appear, studies evaluating ultrafine particle exposure in aluminum industry should focus on not only the smelters, but also the fabrication facilities