A fluorescence polarization-based functional assay for cyclic AMP (cAMP) production in cells has been proven effective for the detection of agonist-stimulated cAMP production in a HEK 293 recombinant cell line expressing the corticotropin-releasing factor subtype 2alpha (CRF2alpha) receptor. Assays were completed in a single well of a 384-well microplate with no transfer, separation, or wash steps incurred. The assay performance is excellent for adaptation to the high throughput screening environment in terms of speed of analysis, magnitude of displaced signal, precision, and detection limits for cAMP quantitation. Relative potencies of agonists and antagonists are maintained with respect to radiometric assays. The assay withstands up to 5% DMSO and up to 10 microM concentrations of highly colored compound. These attributes suggest that accurate assessment of drug binding can be measured using this assay.

Whereas US-based data have contributed to our understanding of family composition changes over the last decades, data on Canadian families are limited, and previous studies have stressed the need for in depth, longitudinal investigations. This article begins to fill this gap in the literature by providing a current and detailed portrait of family composition changes from 1996 to 2008 (Study 1). Additionally, we performed an analysis of the role of specific child, parent and family characteristics, in interaction with family composition and family transition, in predicting pre-school children’s behavioral outcomes (Study 2). Using nationally-representative Canadian data collected from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY), we focus our inquiry on a mean sample for 0–5-year-olds of 2,866 children at cycle 8 (2008). Results show increases in non-traditional family households over time, as well as significant relationships between child characteristics, household characteristics, and family processes in predicting three behavioral outcomes: emotional problems, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and physical aggression.

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