Promising Practices: Supporting Transition of Youth Served by the Foster Care System

A continuation of the 1997 study funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, this collaborative effort with the National Resource Center for Youth Services presents findings of a study of approximately 100 independent living and transitional living programs. It identifies "promising practices" linked with positive outcomes for youth leaving foster care-and presents information drawn from interviews with program staff and participating youth

Does 24-48 or 48-96 Promote Better REM Sleep Within Firefighters?

A firefighter’s work schedule can be very demanding regardless if they work 24 hours followed by a 48-hour time off schedule or a 48-hour on followed by a 96-hour time off. Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep could be the deciding factor of how well a firefighter can perform following a certain work schedule. REM sleep is associated with the mental activity of dreaming; an individual averages 20-25% REM sleep of their total sleep time (Carskadon & Dement, 2005). REM is important for recovery because it can impact cognitive functions such as impulse control and decision making (Brunet, et al, 2020). This study examined the influence shift type had on REM sleep after a day of rest within 24-48, compared to a rest day within a 48-96 work schedule. PURPOSE: The study was designed to measure REM sleep on the 24-48 and 48-96 shift schedules and determine which shift type had a more optimal level of REM sleep. METHODS: 54 firefighters participated and were split into two cohorts depending on the department\u27s work schedule: 24-48 (n = 28) and 48-96 (n = 26). Data was collected through the use of WHOOP® (WHOOP, Inc.) wrist bands, which measures heart rate, HRV, strain, and sleep. A two-way ANOVA was utilized to determine the differences in shift type (24-48, 48-96) and day type, On Day 1 (OD1), On Day 2 (OD2), Rest Day 1 (RD1), Rest Day 2 (RD2), and Rest Day 3 (RD3). RESULTS: Participants exhibited 24.7 ± 9.2% of REM sleep. There was a significant difference between 24-48 OD1 REM (1.56 ± 0.66,) and 48-96 OD1 REM (1.31 ± 0.63) (p \u3c 0.001). Another significant difference existed between 48-96 RD1 REM (1.44 ± 0.71) and 48-96 RD2 REM (1.66 ± 0.78) (p = 0.004) as well as 48-96 RD3 REM (1.66 ± 0.68) (p = 0.007). No further significances were found when comparing shift days and rest days between the shift types. CONCLUSION: Therefore, shift type may have little effect on the amount of REM sleep a firefighter gets on a daily basis. Within the 48-96 shift type, significant differences in REM sleep amount do exist, indicating that recovery improves from the first and second rest day, with no further improvements after that

Compendium of Current Single Event Effects Results for Candidate Spacecraft Electronics for NASA

Sensitivity of a variety of candidate spacecraft electronics to proton and heavy ion induced single event effects is presented. Devices tested include digital, linear, and hybrid devices

Report of Third Annual Seminar on Estate Planning

Reports from the UK/CLE Third Annual Seminar on Estate Planning held July 23-24, 1976

Membrane Porters of ATP-Binding Cassette Transport Systems Are Polyphyletic

The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily consists of both importers and exporters. These transporters have, by tradition, been classified according to the ATP hydrolyzing constituents, which are monophyletic. The evolutionary origins of the transmembrane porter proteins/domains are not known. Using five distinct computer programs, we here provide convincing statistical data suggesting that the transmembrane domains of ABC exporters are polyphyletic, having arisen at least three times independently. ABC1 porters arose by intragenic triplication of a primordial two-transmembrane segment (TMS)-encoding genetic element, yielding six TMS proteins. ABC2 porters arose by intragenic duplication of a dissimilar primordial three-TMS-encoding genetic element, yielding a distinctive protein family, nonhomologous to the ABC1 proteins. ABC3 porters arose by duplication of a primordial four-TMS-encoding genetic element, yielding either eight- or 10-TMS proteins. We assign each of 48 of the 50 currently recognized families of ABC exporters to one of the three evolutionarily distinct ABC types. Currently available high-resolution structural data for ABC porters are fully consistent with our findings. These results provide guides for future structural and mechanistic studies of these important transport systems

The "Ram Effect": A "Non-Classical" Mechanism for Inducing LH Surges in Sheep

During spring sheep do not normally ovulate but exposure to a ram can induce ovulation. In some ewes an LH surge is induced immediately after exposure to a ram thus raising questions about the control of this precocious LH surge. Our first aim was to determine the plasma concentrations of oestradiol (E2) E2 in anoestrous ewes before and after the "ram effect" in ewes that had a "precocious" LH surge (starting within 6 hours), a "normal" surge (between 6 and 28h) and "late» surge (not detected by 56h). In another experiment we tested if a small increase in circulating E2 could induce an LH surge in anoestrus ewes. The concentration of E2 significantly was not different at the time of ram introduction among ewes with the three types of LH surge. "Precocious" LH surges were not preceded by a large increase in E2 unlike "normal" surges and small elevations of circulating E2 alone were unable to induce LH surges. These results show that the "precocious" LH surge was not the result of E2 positive feedback. Our second aim was to test if noradrenaline (NA) is involved in the LH response to the "ram effect". Using double labelling for Fos and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) we showed that exposure of anoestrous ewes to a ram induced a higher density of cells positive for both in the A1 nucleus and the Locus Coeruleus complex compared to unstimulated controls. Finally, the administration by retrodialysis into the preoptic area, of NA increased the proportion of ewes with an LH response to ram odor whereas treatment with the α1 antagonist Prazosin decreased the LH pulse frequency and amplitude induced by a sexually active ram. Collectively these results suggest that in anoestrous ewes NA is involved in ram-induced LH secretion as observed in other induced ovulators