Cost of Florida's Ban on Adoption by GLB Individuals and Same-Sex Couples

This memo estimates the impact on children and the cost to the State of Florida of the current prohibition on adoption by gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) individuals and same-sex couples. We use data about the number of children adopted each year as a way to estimate the number of GLB individuals and same-sex couples who would be likely to serve as adoptive parents if the ban were not in place. Prohibiting GLB individuals and same-sex couples from adopting means that 165 children must remain in foster care or must have alternative adoptive homes recruited for them. As a result, we estimate that the ban costs the State of Florida over $2.5 million in per year. As explained below, this estimate is conservative since some likely additional costs are difficult to quantify. In addition, because of the current prohibition on GLB individuals and same-sex couples adopting children in Florida, it is possible that more GLB individuals and same-sex couples would be interested in adopting if the ban were lifted. We estimate that if the ban were lifted, both adoption and foster care by GLB individuals and same-sex couples would increase to the average United States level, leading to 219 children being adopted, and saving the State of Florida$3.4 million dollars in the first year

The Effects of Marriage Equality in Massachusetts: A survey of the experiences and impact of marriage on same-sex couples

May 17th, 2009 marks the 5th year of marriage equality in the state of Massachusetts. To mark this anniversary, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health conducted the largest survey to date of married same-sex couples, the Health and Marriage Equality in Massachusetts (HMEM) survey. During the past year, four other states have extended marriage to same-sex couples and several other states are considering marriage legislation. The HMEM data allows us to address important questions that arise as other states consider whether to extend marriage to same-sex couples. The data provides answers to several key questions: Who is getting married? Why are same-sex couples getting married? What impact has marriage had on same-sex relationships? And, what impact has marriage had on the children of same-sex couples

The Fiscal Impact of Extending Federal Benefits to Same-Sex Domestic Partners

This report finds that offering health and other benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees would add $41 million to the federal budget in the first year of coverage. Over ten years the report predicts the budgetary cost will be$675 million, a small percentage of the federal budget. The report also takes into account the added federal income taxes that will be paid by federal employees if they sign a partner up for health insurance. It estimates the cost of including partners in retirement benefits, work injury and death compensation, and travel and relocation expenses. Many benefits offered to federal employees, such as life insurance and family and medical leave, can be offered to domestic partners at no additional cost to the federal government

The Business Boost from Marriage Equality: Evidence from the Health and Marriage Equality in Massachusetts Survey

This brief draws on two sources of data, a survey and state-collected tax revenue data, and finds that marriages have had a positive economic effect on Massachusetts -- likely providing a boost of over $100 million to the state economy. Same-sex couples' weddings injected significant spending into the Massachusetts economy and brought out-of-state guests to the state, whose spending also added to the economic boost

Kentucky Foster Care/Adoption Ban Cost Estimate

This memo estimates the impact on children and the cost to the State of Kentucky of Senate Bill 68, "The Child Welfare Adoption Act," which would prohibit unmarried cohabiting couples -- including both different-sex couples and same-sex couples -- from fostering or adopting children. We use past data to estimate the number of children in foster care who were placed with unmarried couples as a way to estimate the number of impacted children in the first year the proposed legislation would take effect. Prohibiting unmarried couples from fostering or adopting would reduce the number of foster and adoptive families available to care for the 7,027 children currently in foster care. We estimate that 630 foster children will be removed from their current homes and placements during the first year that the ban is in effect. In addition, 85 children in foster care will either not be adopted or remain in foster care longer because the ban will prohibit their adoption by unmarried couples. As a result, the ban will cost the State of Kentucky over $5.3 million in the first year. As explained below, this estimate is conservative since some likely additional costs are difficult to quantify

Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition of a Primary Prostate Cell Line with Switches of Cell Adhesion Modules but without Malignant Transformation

Background: Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been connected with cancer progression in vivo and the generation of more aggressive cancer cell lines in vitro. EMT has been induced in prostate cancer cell lines, but has previously not been shown in primary prostate cells. The role of EMT in malignant transformation has not been clarified. Methodology/Principal Findings: In a transformation experiment when selecting for cells with loss of contact inhibition, the immortalized prostate primary epithelial cell line, EP156T, was observed to undergo EMT accompanied by loss of contact inhibition after about 12 weeks in continuous culture. The changed new cells were named EPT1. EMT of EPT1 was characterized by striking morphological changes and increased invasion and migration compared with the original EP156T cells. Gene expression profiling showed extensively decreased epithelial markers and increased mesenchymal markers in EPT1 cells, as well as pronounced switches of gene expression modules involved in cell adhesion and attachment. Transformation assays showed that EPT1 cells were sensitive to serum or growth factor withdrawal. Most importantly, EPT1 cells were not able to grow in an anchorage-independent way in soft agar, which is considered a critical feature of malignant transformation. Conclusions/Significance: This work for the first time established an EMT model from primary prostate cells. The results show that EMT can be activated as a coordinated gene expression program in association with early steps of transformation. The model allows a clearer identification of the molecular mechanisms of EMT and its potential role in malignant transformation

Direct Metagenomic Detection of Viral Pathogens in Nasal and Fecal Specimens Using an Unbiased High-Throughput Sequencing Approach

With the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic of 2003 and renewed attention on avian influenza viral pandemics, new surveillance systems are needed for the earlier detection of emerging infectious diseases. We applied a “next-generation” parallel sequencing platform for viral detection in nasopharyngeal and fecal samples collected during seasonal influenza virus (Flu) infections and norovirus outbreaks from 2005 to 2007 in Osaka, Japan. Random RT-PCR was performed to amplify RNA extracted from 0.1–0.25 ml of nasopharyngeal aspirates (N = 3) and fecal specimens (N = 5), and more than 10 µg of cDNA was synthesized. Unbiased high-throughput sequencing of these 8 samples yielded 15,298–32,335 (average 24,738) reads in a single 7.5 h run. In nasopharyngeal samples, although whole genome analysis was not available because the majority (>90%) of reads were host genome–derived, 20–460 Flu-reads were detected, which was sufficient for subtype identification. In fecal samples, bacteria and host cells were removed by centrifugation, resulting in gain of 484–15,260 reads of norovirus sequence (78–98% of the whole genome was covered), except for one specimen that was under-detectable by RT-PCR. These results suggest that our unbiased high-throughput sequencing approach is useful for directly detecting pathogenic viruses without advance genetic information. Although its cost and technological availability make it unlikely that this system will very soon be the diagnostic standard worldwide, this system could be useful for the earlier discovery of novel emerging viruses and bioterrorism, which are difficult to detect with conventional procedures

Effects of second-generation and indoor sports surfaces on knee joint kinetics and kinematics during 45° and 180° cutting manoeuvres, and exploration using statistical parametric mapping and Bayesian analyses

Purpose: The aim of the current investigation was to examine the influence of second generation (2G) and indoor surfaces on knee joint kinetics, kinematics, frictional and muscle force parameters during 45° and 180° change of direction movements using statistical parametric mapping (SPM) and Bayesian analyses. Methods: Twenty male participants performed 45° and 180° change of direction movements on 2G and indoor surfaces. Lower limb kinematics were collected using an eight-camera motion capture system and ground reaction forces were quantified using an embedded force platform. ACL, patellar tendon and patellofemoral loading was examined via a musculoskeletal modelling approaches and the frictional properties of the surfaces were examined using ground reaction force information. Differences between surfaces were examined using SPM and Bayesian analyses. Results: Both SPM and Bayesian analyses showed that ACL loading parameters were greater in the 2G condition in relation to the indoor surface. Conversely, SPM and Bayesian analyses confirmed that patellofemoral/ patellar tendon loading alongside the coefficient of friction and peak rotational moment were larger in the indoor condition compared to the 2G surface. Conclusions: This study indicates that the indoor surface may improve change of direction performance owing to enhanced friction at the shoe-surface interface but augment the risk from patellar tendon/ patellofemoral injuries; whereas the 2G condition may enhance the risk from ACL pathologies

Adolescents of the U.S. National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study: Sexual Orientation, Sexual Behavior, and Sexual Risk Exposure

This study assessed Kinsey self-ratings and lifetime sexual experiences of 17-year-olds whose lesbian mothers enrolled before these offspring were born in the longest-running, prospective study of same-sex parented families, with a 93% retention rate to date. Data for the current report were gathered through online questionnaires completed by 78 adolescent offspring (39 girls and 39 boys). The adolescents were asked if they had ever been abused and, if so, to specify by whom and the type of abuse (verbal, emotional, physical, or sexual). They were also asked to specify their sexual identity on the Kinsey scale, between exclusively heterosexual and exclusively homosexual. Lifetime sexual behavior was assessed through questions about heterosexual and same-sex contact, age of first sexual experience, contraception use, and pregnancy. The results revealed that there were no reports of physical or sexual victimization by a parent or other caregiver. Regarding sexual orientation, 18.9% of the adolescent girls and 2.7% of the adolescent boys self-rated in the bisexual spectrum, and 0% of girls and 5.4% of boys self-rated as predominantly-to-exclusively homosexual. When compared with age- and gender-matched adolescents of the National Survey of Family Growth, the study offspring were significantly older at the time of their first heterosexual contact, and the daughters of lesbian mothers were significantly more likely to have had same-sex contact. These findings suggest that adolescents reared in lesbian families are less likely than their peers to be victimized by a parent or other caregiver, and that daughters of lesbian mothers are more likely to engage in same-sex behavior and to identify as bisexual