Search

Water samples were collected on three dates at 24 sites influenced by effluent from Georgia-Pacific's Palatka Pulp and Paper Mill Operation, a bleached and unbleached kraft mill near Palatka, Florida, USA. The sampling sites were located within the mill retention ponds, Rice Creek, and the St. John's River. Samples were analyzed by gas chromatography--mass spectrometry for abietic, dehydroabietic, and isopimaric acids, all of which are potentially toxic by-products of pulp production. Isopimaric acid concentrations greater than 12 mg/L were measured at the mill's effluent outfall but were less than 20 µg/L at the end of Rice Creek. This result indicates that the waters of Rice Creek provide dilution or conditions conducive for degradation or sorption of these compounds. Large differences in resin acid concentrations were observed between sampling events. In two sampling events, the maximum observed concentrations were less than 2 mg/L for each analyte. In a third sampling event, all of the compounds were detected at concentrations greater than 10 mg/L. Data from the three sample dates showed that resin acid concentrations were below 20 µg/L before the confluence of Rice Creek and the St. John's River in all cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluates androstenedione as an androgenic component of river water downstream of a pulp and paper mill effluent on the Fenholloway River in Florida. Extraction and concentration of Fenholloway water; Reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography; Mass spectromety analyses of deionized and Fenholloway River water.

We describe the first recorded association between fishes and nudibranchs in epipelagic waters. In situ observations and photographs of a juvenile spotted driftfish Ariomma regulus (Stromateiformes; Ariommatidae) swimming alongside the planktonic nudibranch Phylliroe lichtensteinii (Gastropoda; Phylliroidae) were made during blackwater scuba dives off Palm Beach, Florida, United States of America. In this paper, we describe this behavior, highlighting a previously undocumented zooplanktonic host used by fishes. This finding also demonstrates the importance of community science in advancing our understanding of the early life history of marine species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though tropical cyclone (TC) models have been routinely evaluated against track and intensity observations, little work has been performed to validate modeled TC wind fields over land. In this paper, we present a simple framework for evaluating simulated low‐level inland winds with in‐situ observations and existing TC structure theory. The Automated Surface Observing Systems, Florida Coastal Monitoring Program, and best track data are used to generate a theory‐predicted wind profile that reasonably represents the observed radial distribution of TC wind speeds. We quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated the modeled inland TC wind fields, and described the model performance with a set of simple indicators. The framework was used to examine the performance of a high‐resolution two‐way nested Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory model on recent U.S. landfalling TCs. Results demonstrate the capacity of using this framework to assess the modeled TC low‐level wind field in the absence of dense inland observations. Plain Language Summary: Some of the biggest human impacts of tropical cyclone (TC) winds come after the TC makes landfall. A skillful prediction of the radial distribution of winds is essential for forecasting TC‐induced inland hazards. However, the forecast skill of numerical hurricane models on inland TC wind fields has rarely been evaluated since it is challenging to collect wind observations during landfall, and the network of regular weather observations is too spread out to capture the strongest winds associated with a TC. This inhibits the improvement of forecast models and limits our understanding of the TC's inland evolution. Our work combines available inland in‐situ wind observations over the southeastern U.S. with existing TC structure theory, and presents a new "optimal" estimate of the post‐landfall winds. Our framework is found to be useful for evaluating the post‐landfall TC winds in hurricane forecast models. In addition, the new evaluation technique can intuitively demonstrate how well the model simulates TC intensity and structure. Key Points: We introduce a new framework for evaluating modeled inland tropical cyclone (TC) wind fields with observation‐based, theory‐predicted wind profilesThe theory‐predicted wind profile well represents the observed radial distribution of inland TC wind speedsWe propose simple indicators to summarize the model performance on inland wind field predictions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following paper presents case examples of one research team's use of social network analysis (SNA) with three different collaboratives in South Florida: (a) a Collective Impact initiative seeking to end youth homelessness, (b) a university collaborative of campus organizations working towards Black students' concerns, and (c) a movement network of local social justice organizations. The research team used SNA to assess the level of connectivity of three different community coalitions. While research questions were slightly different for each collaborative, each project asked about the frequency of communication between organizations to determine connectivity. Results vary between case examples. Both the Youth Homeless Collaboration and the Black Student Association used Gephi to analyze results, while The Community Partnership used R to measure network centrality. The paper concludes with a general discussion of challenges related to using SNA as an action research tool, as well as the role of power in organizational networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we examine the trajectory, orbital, and radiometric characteristics of the bolide event occurring off the coast of southern Florida and the Grand Bahama Island on April 13, 2021. An object measuring about 1.3 m in diameter entered the atmosphere at approximately 02:16:40 UTC at a velocity of 16 km s−1. It took an almost due north course between Florida and Grand Bahama Island, terminating in the Atlantic Ocean. No fragments have been recovered up to the date of submission of this paper. We used a fragmentation model to infer the internal structure of the object. We found that the best fit to the light curve and height of the peak energy deposition is with a weak stony meteor, with a density of about 2000 kg m−3, that disrupted and fragmented quickly, over a time interval of 1.5 s, or over a distance of about 11 km in altitude, between 45 and 34 km. We find that the impactor had a preatmospheric mass of 2.5 ± 0.5 t, resulting in a diameter of about 1.34 ± 0.09 m. We performed a backward integration of the trajectory to determine an orbit and found that the impacting object was a Jupiter family comet with a semimajor axis of about 3.6 AU, and an inclination of 9°, which is consistent with our analysis from the fragmentation model. We could not find a suitable candidate for a parent body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Florida Everglades, the largest subtropical wetland in North America, is in the midst of one of the most comprehensive and expensive environmental restoration efforts in history. Over the past 150 years, the Everglades has suffered substantial degradation due to massive drainage projects, polluting agricultural practices, and urban population growth. Decades of scientific investigation have shown that phosphorus (P) pollution is a primary driver of this environmental decline. This paper reviews how and why specific P‐management goals and strategies have been adopted in support of Everglades restoration, focusing on the often‐contentious process for converting science into restoration policies and standards. We synthesize current P‐management successes, failures, and tradeoffs, including the challenge of balancing multiple hydrologic and water quality restoration goals with the priorities and values of a diverse group of stakeholders. We then highlight promising future directions for Everglades P policy and propose questions to help guide the discussion of future restoration priorities and research needs in this and other complex social–ecological systems. The overall goals of this review are thus twofold: (1) to support an in‐depth understanding of the past, present, and potential future of P management approaches in this globally unique social–ecological system; and (2) to provide a broader framework for understanding how the coevolution of science and policy can support or undermine large‐scale ecosystem restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents several abstracts which will be presented at the 2014 annual meeting of the American Geriatrics Society, including abstracts on research on long term care facility residents, an intervention to reduce multi-drug resistance and infections in nursing home residents with indwelling devices and doctors' attitudes about end of life resuscitation and advance directives.

The strong sea‐surface temperature (SST) gradient associated with the Gulf Stream (GS) is widely acknowledged to play an important role in shaping mid‐latitude weather and climate. Despite this, an index for the GS SST gradient has not yet been standardized in the literature. This paper introduces a monthly index for the large‐scale SST gradient across the separated GS based on the time‐varying GS position detected from sea‐surface height. Analysis suggests that the variations in the monthly average SST gradient throughout the year result primarily from SST variability to the north of the GS, with little contribution from SST to the south. The index exhibits a weak periodicity at ∼2 years. Sea level pressure and turbulent heat flux patterns suggest that variability in the large‐scale SST gradient is related to atmospheric (rather than oceanic) forcing. Ocean‐to‐atmosphere feedback does not persist throughout the year, but there is some evidence of wintertime feedback. Plain Language Summary: The Gulf Stream is a narrow and fast‐flowing oceanic boundary current that transports warm tropical water north along the coast of Florida and out into the North Atlantic past Cape Hatteras. It is a region where sea‐surface temperatures (SSTs) change dramatically over very short distances with much cooler temperatures on one side of the Gulf Stream (GS) (to the north) and warmer temperatures on the other side (to the south). This strong change in SST across the GS is important for weather systems that propagate in the Euro‐Atlantic sector. Here, an index that measures how much the SSTs change with distance from month‐to‐month across the GS once it separates past Cape Hatteras is developed for the first time. It is found that variability in the index primarily results from SST variations to the north of the separated GS, which themselves are influenced by the atmosphere. There is evidence however that the SST variability represented by the index can also exert an influence on the atmosphere in wintertime. Additionally, the value of the index at any given time seemingly provides some information about the state of the index several years into the future. Key Points: A monthly index for the large‐scale sea‐surface temperature gradient of the separated Gulf Stream is presentedVariations in the index throughout the year are related to atmospheric forcingEvidence of ocean‐atmosphere feedback in the index is only apparent in wintertime [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The U.S. South Atlantic region has many long‐standing data needs and limited data collection resources for federally managed marine fish stocks. Much of the harvest is dominated by recreational fisheries, where data are limited, especially during historic time periods. FISHstory, a pilot project developed through the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Citizen Science Program, developed a standardized protocol for archiving and analyzing historic photos from the 1940s to 1970s from a for‐hire fleet based in Florida. These photos document the beginnings of the South Atlantic for‐hire fishery and are potentially an untapped source of data that can help recreate information on catch and length composition prior to when dedicated fishery dependent surveys began. Many careful steps were taken in the design of FISHstory to ensure data collected would be fit for purpose and useful to management. This paper highlights these steps and describes lessons learned through project development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this viewpoint and critique is to provide theoretical considerations as to why virtual court may exacerbate the existing disadvantages of intimate partner violence victims in child removal cases. As a backdrop, this paper uses a report of an unnamed but actual victim of intimate partner abuse and her experience in a child removal case in Florida. Key points for the family court community: There are numerous barriers for victims of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in the Child Protective Services (CPS) systemVirtual court may be another psychological barrier for female IPV victims in CPS cases [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the earth's climate changes, the ability of breeders to select for traits within forage species that impart adaptability to these changes will be critical for the maintenance of grassland agricultural systems. Temperate ‐ tropical climate transition zones (between 27 and 31° N and S latitude) have proven to be ideal zones for breeding species with variable climate adaptation. Programs located in these regions have the advantage of exposure to alternating extreme warm and cold temperatures, drought and flood conditions, and a multitude of biotic pests including fungi, viruses, insects and nematodes. In this paper we will present examples of how forage breeding programs in north‐central Florida have capitalized on these distinct advantages for selection of cultivars with resiliency to changing climate variables. Breeding programs in red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) will be discussed as examples for moving cool season species into warmer climates. Species attributes that contribute to climate resiliency will be identified and described. The ability to identify small changes in genetic photoperiod responses in these regions, are illustrated as an advantage when the objective is development of earlier or later maturity. Transition zones also provide suitable environments for biotic stresses, from both tropical and temperate areas, including fungal diseases, nematodes, and insects, offering desirable field environments for screening and genetic improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated whether fluctuating asymmetry can serve as a useful biomarker of environmental stress in the eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki). Fluctuating asymmetry was measured in sexually mature females sampled from two Florida, USA, coastal streams: The Fenholloway River, which is dominated by effluent from a paper mill, and Spring Creek, a tributary to the Fenholloway River (Taylor County, FL, USA) that does not receive paper mill effluent. Nine morphometric (lengths of the A and B scales, fifth pectoral fin ray, supraorbital canal, and preorbital canal and the sixth gill raker on the first brachial arch; orbit diameter; distance from the dorsal-ventral midpoint of the eye socket to the base of the pectoral fin; and distance from the postorbital canal to the operculum) and five meristic traits (numbers of scales in the lateral line, radii on the A and B scales, pectoral fin rays, and gill rakers on the first brachial arch) were included. For each of the three indexes of fluctuating asymmetry that were used, the majority of the traits showed a higher level of fluctuating asymmetry in fish from the Fenholloway River than in fish from Spring Creek. For two of the indexes, the difference was significant. Comparisons of mean values for fluctuating asymmetry (over all traits) for each fish and the means of a composite index of asymmetry both indicated that fish from the Fenholloway River had significantly greater overall fluctuating asymmetry than those from Spring Creek. Results of the present study are consistent with the hypothesis that environmental stress increased the level of fluctuating asymmetry in fish from the Fenholloway River. Thus, fluctuating asymmetry appears to be a useful biomarker for stress-induced developmental instability in the eastern mosquitofish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to create a new hybrid ensemble data mining model to predict the Salmonella presence in agricultural surface waters based on the combination of heterogeneous ensemble approach for feature selection, clustering, regression, and classification algorithms. The data set for this study was collected from six agricultural ponds in Central Florida consisting of 23 features with 540 instances (26 Salmonella positive and 514 Salmonella negative). The model consisted of three stages. Initially, a heterogeneous ensemble feature selection (HEFS) approach was applied to select top features. Then, the k‐means clustering algorithm was implemented to remove misclassified cases from the data set. Finally, classification and regression algorithms, including support vector machine (SVM), Naïve Bayes (NB), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Random Forest (RF) with soft voting approach were applied to the preprocessed data set to predict the Salmonella presence in agricultural surface waters with the amount of test set (20%). These algorithms were combined in 10 different ensemble models through the soft voting approach. The performance of these hybrid ensemble models was also evaluated. The ensemble ANN + RF model achieved the highest performance and outperformed all other single and ensemble models based on Area under the ROC Curve (AUC) (0.98) and prediction accuracy (94.9%). The findings emphasize the validity of our hybrid ensemble model which encourages researchers to predict Salmonella presence in agricultural surface waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The University of Florida Mobile Outreach Clinic (MOC) is a free primary care clinic serving vulnerable communities and citizens without health insurance in Gainesville, Florida, and surrounding areas. This paper describes the approach taken by MOC to offer sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services to underserved patients within a reproductive justice framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological invasion is one of the main threats to native biodiversity. For a species to become invasive, it must be voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into a nonnative habitat. Mammals were among first taxa to be introduced worldwide for game, meat, and labor, yet the number of species introduced in the Neotropics remains unknown. In this data set, we make available occurrence and abundance data on mammal species that (1) transposed a geographical barrier and (2) were voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into the Neotropics. Our data set is composed of 73,738 historical and current georeferenced records on alien mammal species of which around 96% correspond to occurrence data on 77 species belonging to eight orders and 26 families. Data cover 26 continental countries in the Neotropics, ranging from Mexico and its frontier regions (southern Florida and coastal‐central Florida in the southeast United States) to Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay, and the 13 countries of Caribbean islands. Our data set also includes neotropical species (e.g., Callithrix sp., Myocastor coypus, Nasua nasua) considered alien in particular areas of Neotropics. The most numerous species in terms of records are from Bos sp. (n = 37,782), Sus scrofa (n = 6,730), and Canis familiaris (n = 10,084); 17 species were represented by only one record (e.g., Syncerus caffer, Cervus timorensis, Cervus unicolor, Canis latrans). Primates have the highest number of species in the data set (n = 20 species), partly because of uncertainties regarding taxonomic identification of the genera Callithrix, which includes the species Callithrix aurita, Callithrix flaviceps, Callithrix geoffroyi, Callithrix jacchus, Callithrix kuhlii, Callithrix penicillata, and their hybrids. This unique data set will be a valuable source of information on invasion risk assessments, biodiversity redistribution and conservation‐related research. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this data paper when using the data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us on how they are using the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When it comes to the creation of higher education policy, state legislators are challenged with addressing the diverse academic needs of college students enrolled across a spectrum of institutions. In this paper, we explore how 203 individuals at five rural‐serving colleges in Florida engaged in state‐wide developmental education (DE) reform using the theoretical framework of "situated cognition." Specifically, we ask whether the colleges implemented DE reform in unique ways that may have differed from their non‐rural counterparts and what their rationale was for doing so. Our work indicates that institutional culture and capacity generated a combination of strengths and constraints in how reform played out in a rural context. In some ways, a rural‐serving identity made colleges more flexible and better able to adjust their advising and curricular structures to comply with the mandates of SB 1720. But in other ways, rural‐serving institutions lacked the resources necessary to adequately support students and campus personnel through this dramatic transition toward new ways of providing DE. In looking toward the passage and implementation of future education reform, we call upon policymakers to consider more deeply the design of policies to ensure they support rural and non‐rural colleges alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the use of technology in the K12 classroom has been shown to have a positive impact, research on the use of open education resources (OER) is relatively limited, especially research focusing on low‐achieving students. The present study examines the relationship between usage of Algebra Nation, a self‐guided system that provided instructional videos and practice problems, and the performance of students who had failed the state‐administered Algebra I end‐of‐course (EOC) assessment the previous year. Indicators of usage of Algebra Nation consisted of logins, video views, and practice questions answered. Path analyses and logistic regressions were used to evaluate relationships between usage indicators and algebra scores, controlling for number of absences, free/reduced lunch eligibility, Hispanic/Latino origin, race, and gender. The results indicate that higher levels of logins, video views, and practice questions answered were related to higher scores when the students re‐took the assessment. Logins and practice questions were also related to increases in odds of passing the Algebra I EOC assessment, but not video views. The results suggest that there may be benefits to technology use in the form of an OER adopted by students and teachers on an informal basis and link self‐regulated learning strategies to student achievement. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Algebra courses typically have a high failure rate.Repeating algebra is costly for the education system and for the student.Open education resources could potentially be an effective and cost‐efficient approach to algebra instruction. What this paper adds: This study shows that logins, video views, and practice questions answered in an open education resource were positively related to scores on a state‐administered,high‐stakes algebra assessment.The study indicates that the relationship between a self‐regulated learning strategy (i.e., practice questions answered) and student algebra scores is stronger than that between video views and algebra scores.This study shows that student‐driven ad hoc use of online tutoring programme is associated with higher passing rates on the algebra exam. Implications for practice and/or policy: This study demonstrates that informal use of an open education resource with videos and a practice question system can be effective in increasing student scores on algebra assessments.Future research is needed to connect diverse types of student self‐regulated use of open education resources to academic achievement and on how to design resources that encourage effective self‐regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) retain a scar and a bump at the site of implant. This may lead to body image concerns (BICs) that influence patients’ quality of life. Few studies have examined the prevalence and impact of BICs postimplant, prompting us to conduct a scoping review of the field. Methods: We searched the Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cinahl databases in August 2016 and repeated in May 2017. Included were studies reporting on patients ≥ 18 years, an ICD implant (transvenous, subcutaneous, or ICD with cardiac resynchronization therapy [CRT‐D]), reporting on BICs, and published in peer‐reviewed English‐language journals. We excluded nonsystematic reviews, opinion pieces/letters, case studies, conference abstracts, PhD dissertations, protocol papers, studies of ICD shock treatment of atrial fibrillation, and of abdominally or submammary implanted ICDs. Results: A total of 40 articles were included: 16 qualitative and 24 quantitative. None of the included studies had BICs as their primary endpoint. Results showed that BICs are present in various degrees in the ICD population and can be attributed to the visibility of the ICD (the scar and bump). Women and younger patients had greater problems with BICs, although men also had concerns. Two items of the “Florida Patient Acceptance Survey” were the most frequently used to assess BICs. Conclusion: BICs were present among ICD patients, but the degree of impact on their lives varied. There is a need for developing a BICs questionnaire to examine the prevalence of BICs and the potential impact on patients’ lives in longitudinal studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts on veterinary medicine research topics which include one on the use of a modified Vinsot technique for partial phallectomy in horses, one on the severity of iatrogenic lesions between conventional and modified approaches in 16 equine cadaver forelimbs, and one on the factors associated with anhidrosis in horses in Florida.

Cutter Soil Mixing (CSM), a deep soil mixing method, was used to rehabilitate the Herbert Hoover Dike, Florida by installing a cutoff wall. After an introduction to the method including remarks on its advantages and limitations, the rehabilitation project and its background are presented. The paper describes the necessary approach to apply Cutter Soil Mixing under the specific site conditions. Finally, results obtained from an extensive testing program are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Florida torreya (Torreya taxifolia Arn.) is an endangered conifer with a very limited range in the USA: two counties in Florida and one in Georgia, along the Apalachicola River. The species was once abundant in its small native range but suffered a major decline, ~99% loss, in the late 1950s to early 1960s that is thought to have been caused by a disease. Recently, a canker disease caused by Fusarium torreyae was identified as the primary cause of Florida torreya decline. Efforts to restore and preserve the species in situ and ex situ are hampered by lack of pathogen‐free planting stock, and there exists an interest in methods to verify pathogen presence in seeds and seedlings prior to collection and transport for planting. This paper presents a new species‐specific diagnostic method that enables detection of F. torreyae and may allow for conservation programmes to ensure germplasm is free of the pathogen prior to planting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents an abstract of the study `Enamel Hypoplasias and Evidence for Stress in North Florida' by D.L. Hutchinson.

Presents an abstract of the study `Biological evidence for selective Cuban immigration to Florida,' by Curtis W. Wienker. Demographic, anthropometric and skin color data from adult Cuban-Americans living in Tampa, Florida.

Presents an abstract of the study `The Effects of Gender on Health Status and Reported Morbidity in a Rural Florida Population,' by L.T. Barbian and D.M. Grinenko. Telephone survey of female heads of households in a rural Florida town; Gender specific differences in health and morbidity.

Local governments react to one another in expenditure. However, the existing literature concerning these reactions suffer from one of three problems: timing dynamics, county behaviour, or over aggregation. City‐to‐city interaction estimates are shown to shrink up to 50% when appropriately dealing with dynamics and county behaviour using a dynamic spatial Durbin model with a maximum likelihood estimator. Expenditure disaggregation shows that the majority of categories have no spillover. One category, general government expenditure, is responsible for nearly all of the variation. This finding does not fit well with the existing theories for spatial interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the incentives and responses of public schools in the context of an educational reform. Much of the literature studying the effect of voucher programs on public schools has looked at the effect on student and mean school scores. This paper tries to go inside the black box to investigate some of the ways in which schools facing the Florida accountability-tied voucher program behaved. Schools getting an 'F' grade for the first time were exposed to the threat of vouchers, but did not face vouchers unless and until they got a second 'F' within the next 3 years. In addition, 'F,' being the lowest grade, exposed the threatened schools to stigma. Exploiting the institutional details of this program, I analyze the incentives built into the system and investigate the behavior of the threatened public schools facing these incentives. There is strong evidence that they did respond to incentives. Using highly disaggregated school-level data, a difference-in-differences estimation strategy as well as a regression discontinuity (RD) analysis, I find that the threatened schools tended to focus more on students below the minimum criteria cutoffs rather than equally on all. Second, consistent with incentives, the threatened school improvements were, by far, the largest in writing. These results are robust to controlling for differential preprogram trends, changes in demographic compositions, mean reversion, and sorting. These findings have important policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populations of large carnivores are declining globally, and analysis of public discourse about carnivores is useful for understanding public opinion and influences on management and policy. Portrayal of carnivores in the media affects public perceptions and support for their conservation. We conducted a content analysis of 513 articles about Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi) published from 2003 to 2006 in newspapers with local circulation in core panther habitat in southwest Florida and papers with statewide circulation to compare the differences in the amount of coverage and portrayals of panther risks to people and property on the basis of proximity of human communities to panthers. Local papers published significantly more news articles and significantly longer news articles primarily about panthers. Articles in local and statewide papers used both episodic frames, which focus on specific occurrences (e.g., a panther sighting or predation) and thematic frames, which focus on general trends (e.g., abundance of panthers over time). Local articles more often emphasized risks that panthers might harm people, pets, or livestock than statewide papers. Our results are consistent with theory that proximity to human-carnivore conflict influences perceptions and salience of risks posed by large carnivores. Most articles mentioned panthers as a secondary topic, which we believe was a result of the relevance an endangered carnivore has in discussions of public land management, development, and regulations in Florida. Claims made by sources quoted in each article had a neutral to positive depiction of panthers, and most quotations were from federal and state agency scientists. We suggest continued use by the media of agency sources provides the opportunity for clear, concordant messages about panther management. Content analysis provides a way to monitor media portrayal of carnivores for consistency with agency outreach goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent theoretical advances point to the dynamic and plural nature of processes of identity formation. Moreover, the ascendance of the globalisation paradigm implies a greater emphasis on their geographical dimension in terms of place and mobility. Illustrated with the case of Miami, this paper presents a theoretical argument about place, mobility and identity in contemporary global cities. The need to go beyond conventional and singular categories of identity is argued, with special reference to the impact of rapid increases in spatial mobility. In this paper, the role of Miami's different populations is framed in the context of their geographical identities and the ways they identify with Miami as locals, exiles and cosmopolitans. The high mobility of Miami's population and the small number of locals pose some major challenges, with implications for this city's civil society. The case of Miami also sheds a different, and less idealistic, light on the meaning of cosmopolitanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this paper is on the development and evaluation of an intervention model for Florida's Infant and Young Child Mental Health Pilot Program, designed to identify families with children at risk for abuse and neglect, and to provide clinical evaluation and treatment services. The evaluation model, intervention strategies, and results presented in this paper are all part of the Florida pilot project developed as a response to the recommendations of the state's Strategic Plan for Infant Mental Health. Funded by the Florida legislature, the 3-year, multisite pilot was designed to provide earlier identification, better evaluation, and more effective treatment services for high-risk children under the age of three. The target population was children either at risk for out-of-home placement due to abuse and neglect, or those already in the child welfare system or adjudicated dependent by the state. The goals of the pilot project were: 1) to reduce the occurrence and re-occurrence of abuse and neglect; 2) to enhance the child's developmental functioning; 3) to improve the parent-child relationship; 4) to increase expeditious permanency placements; 5) to develop a model for intervention and treatment that could potentially be replicated in different sites; and 6) to document the components of a quality infant mental health intervention model and evaluate its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article summarizes a symposium that was organized by Dr. Kim Fromme and presented at the 2003 annual meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The four presentations illustrate the emerging technologies and methods that are now being used to investigate the genetic basis of differential sensitivity to alcohol and their behavioral manifestations. Combining human genotyping with laboratory measures of behavior and subjective reports, these presentations represent state-of-the-art approaches to crossing the bridge from the Decade of the Brain to the Decade of Behavior. Dr. De Wit’s paper describes her research on the neurobiological basis for individual differences in sensitivity to the stimulant and sedative effects of alcohol. Evidence suggests that activity of the dopaminergic and GABAergic neurotransmitters underlie these stimulant and sedative effects, respectively. Both Drs. Hutchison’s and Corbin’s papers describe their research on polymorphisms for the serotonin transporter (SLC6A4) as a determinant of the subjective effects of alcohol challenge. Dr. Hutchinson’s and Ms. Ray’s findings indicate that individuals with the short form of the SLC6A4 alleles (S) demonstrated a low level of response to alcohol, thus supporting previous research that the S allele may be associated with increased risk for alcohol dependence. In contrast, Dr. Corbin did not find a reliable association between the SLC6A4 genotype and subjective response to alcohol. Mr. Cook’s and Dr. Wall’s paper adds another dimension to this article by presenting research on both the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH2) genetic variants and their association with the alcohol-related flushing response that is prevalent in Asian populations. Dr. David Goldman provides concluding remarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a national certification program for behavior analysts and summarizes the background, content, policies, future development, and benefits of this program. The program focuses on applied behavior analysis in general and certifies behavior analysts at both baccalaureate and master's levels. Eligibility requirements to take either of the two examinations include both coursework and mentored or supervised experience. The paper details a number of benefits that may be expected from this professional credential, which are based on experiences in Florida, the source of the present examination. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Should an ecotour operator feed marshmallows to wild alligators in the Florida Everglades? Observing the operator encourage alligators to approach an airboat so that the tourists onboard could see them provoked questions about what ecotourism is and what value it has for both the tourist industry and resource preservation. Is ecotourism merely a new label for an old product or is it a real effort to reengage the public in our natural and cultural heritage resources, but in an environmentally sensitive and culturally appropriate way? To answer this question, this paper considers how the ecosystem service or natural resource capital model can help reconcile what ecotourism offers to both the traveling consumer and to those tasked with measuring and protecting our natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the effects of acculturation and acculturative stress on the self-esteem of Hispanic/Latino adolescents. The study is comparative in that it focuses on variations among both immigrant and native born Hispanics. The data were derived from a longitudinal study of adolescents (n = 6,760) being conducted in Miami, Florida. The sample for this paper (n = 4,296) consisted of all the adolescents of Hispanic heritage. A complex patterning of acculturative strains was found for US. and foreign-born adolescents. Acculturation strains and family pride have more powerful effects on sell-esteem as acculturation increases among the foreign born, but the opposite is true for the U.S. born. The proportion of variance explained by the acculturation strains and family pride is greater for the U.S. born adolescents (range = 21% to 29%) than for those who are foreign born (range = 15% to 19%). The findings indicate that much of the research on this subject has failed to reflect the differential processes of psychosocial adjustment faced by immigrant and nonimmigrant adolescents. There are differences in the types of strains reported, as well as in the effects of the strains on self-esteem. Low acculturation adolescents who are U.S. born have an especially problematic profile of strain, whereas bicultural adolescents born in the United States appear to have the best profile. The results suggest a need to advance from simple linear explanations to multifactorial stress models that will increase our understanding of the acculturative process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has found that development exactions are capitalized into the price of new housing. As the price of new housing increases, one would expect to see a price rise in existing housing as well, albeit lagged to some extent. This paper presents the results of an empirical study designed to measure how much impact fees affect the price of existing, single-family dwellings. Data for this study were obtained from county property appraiser files provided by the Florida Department of Revenue. The data represent 1,055 new and 3,135 existing home sales, respectively, in Dunedin, Florida, and 7,292 existing home sales in Clearwater, Florida, from 1971–1982. On June 3, 1974, the city of Dunedin began assessing impact fees of $1,150 against all new, single-family construction. The methodology used in this paper examines the price differential of new relative to existing housing and finds that the difference disappeared after six years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents abstracts of the research papers that were presented in the Xl Biennial World Meeting of International Society for Research on Aggression held from July 6, 1994 to July 10, 1994 in Delray Beach, Florida. This Eleventh World Meeting of the International Society for Research on Aggression was truly an international gathering. The program offered presentations by 67 individuals from 11 different countries, representing the diversity of research on aggression: applied and theoretical; animal and human subjects; biological, social, and cultural determinants; group and individual behavior. The program based on aggressive behavior included eight plenary lectures, 43 individual presentations in six paper sessions and one poster session, and 26 presentations in three symposia.

Presents an abstract of the study `Establishing the Context for Bioarchaeological Research in Spanish Florida: Introduction to the Symposium' by C.S. Larsen.

Recently in the field of policy studies, there has been a renewed interest in research that connects policy design with broader governance outcomes. As opposed to past studies of policy design that have characterized policies along broad categories of variables, however, recent studies have sought to systematically assess the language of public policies and resultant outcomes. This paper contributes to the existing and emerging literature on policy design by coupling a content analysis of polices governing the aquaculture industry in two U. S. states and interviews with aquaculture community members to understand policy design and perceptions of policy legitimacy, coerciveness, and enforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an environment where community based organizations are asked to do increasingly more to alleviate the effects of complex social problems, networks and coalitions are becoming the answer for increasing scale, efficiency, coordination, and most importantly, social impact. This paper highlights the formation of a poverty reduction coalition in south Florida. Our case study approach chronicles a developing coalition in Miami-Dade County and the role of one organization acting as lead to the initiative. Drawing on interviews with lead organization staff, participant observation field notes, network mapping and analysis of documents and artifacts from the initiative, we analyze the local organizational context and illuminate important processes associated with supporting a developing coalition. Findings offer a picture of the interorganizational relationships in the community using social network analysis and identify the organizational capacity factors that contribute to and inhibit the formation of a cohesive and effective coalition in this context. This study also highlights the utility of an action research approach to organizational learning about coalition-building in such a way that informs decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social support is widely seen as an integral component for coping with the stresses of everyday life. While there are various sources and types of support potentially available to young people, it is perhaps less obvious the extent to which young people differentially experience these sources and types. Anecdotal evidence suggests that context, culture and other factors unique to local life shape the many dimensions of social support for youth. In this paper, we seek to examine this research need in more detail by focusing on a broad range of factors shaping youth social support and youth well-being. Drawing on mixed methods research, we examine social support evidence for adolescents in Florida, USA, and Offaly, Ireland. Through this research, we investigate how the connection between social support and well-being bears out in these two different socio-cultural contexts; second, we seek to understand whether types and sources of social support differ among youth in both countries; and what relationship exists between well-being and types and sources of support. Comparing similar measures of social support across two distinct societal contexts allows us to determine similarities and differences, while also providing suggestions for application that can shape future programmes and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative assessment of post-disaster housing recovery is critical to enhancing understanding of the process and improving the decisions that shape it. Nevertheless, few comprehensive empirical evaluations of post-disaster housing recovery have been conducted, and no standard measurement methods exist. This paper presents a quantitative assessment of housing recovery in Punta Gorda, Florida, United States, following Hurricane Charley of August 2004, including an overview of the phases of housing recovery, progression of recovery over time, alternative trajectories of recovery, differential recovery, incorporation of mitigation, and effect on property sales. The assessment is grounded in a conceptual framework that considers the recovery of both people and place, and that emphasises recovery as a process, not as an endpoint. Several data sources are integrated into the assessment-including building permits, remotely sensed imagery, and property appraiser data-and their strengths and limitations are discussed with a view to developing a standardised method for measuring and monitoring housing recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the interplay between nativity and both homeownership and foreclosure in Miami-Dade County, Florida at both the individual and community levels. We estimate the likelihood of individual-level home ownership based on place of birth and year of entry to the U.S., and separately estimate community-level foreclosures based on the demographic composition of neighborhoods. Results confirm previous work: all subgroups, except Cubans, are less likely to be homeowners than white, non-Hispanics and only Cuban neighborhoods had foreclosure rates significantly lower than rates in white, non-Hispanic neighborhoods. Nativity has a stronger effect on homeownership than on foreclosure levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When governments take actions under their police powers to prevent incursions of diseases, they may damage or destroy private property and a question arises of who should pay for property losses. A court in Florida concluded that the state needed to pay for property destroyed under a citrus canker eradication programme. Because this interpretation of the Florida Constitution's Just Compensation Clause makes it more difficult to administer a successful eradication programme, governments and scientists, working with industry, may want to develop a more comprehensive accounting of scientific data and procedures that justify an eradication programme's actions. This paper identifies three problems regarding Florida's efforts to eradicate citrus canker so that scientists, affected industries, and governments can employ an objective reassessment mechanism to support their actions without legal interference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Please cite this paper as: Gordy JT et al. (2012) Surveillance of feral cats for influenza A virus in North Central Florida. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses 6(5), 341-347. Background Transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza and the recent pandemic H1N1 viruses to domestic cats and other felids creates concern because of the morbidity and mortality associated with human infections as well as disease in the infected animals. Experimental infections have demonstrated transmission of influenza viruses in cats. Objectives An epidemiologic survey of feral cats was conducted to determine their exposure to influenza A virus. Methods Feral cat sera and oropharyngeal and rectal swabs were collected from November 2008 through July 2010 in Alachua County, FL and were tested for evidence of influenza A virus infection by virus isolation, PCR, and serological assay. Results and conclusions No virus was isolated from any of 927 cats examined using MDCK cell or embryonated chicken egg culture methods, nor was viral RNA detected by RT-PCR in 200 samples tested. However, 0.43% of cats tested antibody positive for influenza A by commercial ELISA. These results suggest feral cats in this region are at minimal risk for influenza A virus infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most crop, hydrology, and water quality models require the simulation of evaporation from the soil surface. A model developed by J.T. Ritchie in 1972 provides useful algorithms for estimating soil evaporation, but it does not calculate the soil water redistribution resulting from evaporation. A physically-based model using diffusion theory, described previously by Suleiman and Ritchie in 2003, provides efficient algorithms for soil water redistribution and soil evaporation. However, the model is appropriate only for second stage drying when the soil in the entire profile being simulated is below the drained upper limit (θDUL) and no more drainage occurs due to gravity. This paper extends the Suleiman-Ritchie model for soil water contents higher than θDUL where soil evaporation rates are usually higher than second stage drying. New algorithms were developed for these wetter conditions that are functions of soil depth and the wetness of the near-surface soil. New model parameters were calibrated with data measured in laboratory soil column studies. The resulting model was integrated into DSSAT-CSM (Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer Cropping Systems Model). Simulated soil evaporation rates and soil water contents obtained using the Suleiman-Ritchie model with the developed extensions and the previous DSSAT soil evaporation model were compared and evaluated with field measurements of soil water content during several drying cycles for parts of 3 yr in North Central Florida. Computed soil water contents from the model agreed well with the measured soil water contents near the surface, and provided more accurate estimations than the original DSSAT soil evaporation model, especially for the 5-cm surface layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses texts from the Australian print media that invoke nationalist discourse in the so-called ‘Tampa crisis’ of 2001, which involved the boarding by Australian military troops of a civilian Norwegian shipping vessel (the Tampa) that had rescued a group of asylum seekers. In particular, we are interested in how military action was justified in public discourse against a group of civilians through the use of arguments relying in some form or another on the notion of nationhood and national identity. We employ a critical discursive methodology to investigate how some of these descriptions worked to legitimate the Australian government's role in these events and demonstrate some of the mechanisms by which discourses of nation can operate in the marginalization of asylum seekers. We conclude that presenting issues relating to asylum seekers and the Tampa at a level of national identity was critical in justifying the Australian government's stance and actions. We also raise some concerns about the consequences that may follow from the Australian government's actions and reliance on nationalist rhetoric. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community coordination requires communication and planning of precautions to take when faced with a severe threat of disaster. The unique case of the four Florida hurricanes of 2004—Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne—is used here to assess community responses to repeated threats of hurricanes. The paper examines how effectiveness in coordinating community disaster response efforts affects future public preparedness. The findings suggest that pre-season planning, open communication between emergency managers and elected officials, and the use of technology all had a significant impact on community responses. The repeated threat scenario indicates that emergency managers must work vigilantly to keep residents informed of the seriousness of a situation. The study describes how emergency managers in Florida countered public complacency during four hurricanes in six weeks. The strategies identified as useful by public managers in the context of hurricanes are applicable to other natural and man-made disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a field-scale applicability of three forms of artificial neural network algorithms in forecasting short-term ground-water levels at specific control points is presented. These algorithms are the feed- forward back propagation (FFBP), radial basis networks (RBN), and generalized regression networks (GRN). Ground-water level predictions from these algorithms are in turn to be used in an Optimized Regional Operations Plan that prescribes scheduled wellfield production for the coming four weeks. These models are up against each other for their accuracy of ground-water level predictions on lead times ranging from a week to four weeks, ease of implementation, and execution times (mainly training time). In total, 208 networks of each of the three algorithms were developed for the study. It is shown that although learning algorithms have emerged as a viable solution at field scale much larger than previously studied, no single algorithm performs consistently better than others on all the criteria. On average, FFBP networks are 20 and 26%, respectively, more accurate than RBN and GRN in forecasting one week ahead water levels and this advantage drops to 5 and 9% accuracy in forecasting four weeks ahead water levels, whereas GRN posted a training time that is only 5% of the training time taken by that of FFBP networks. This may suggest that in field-scale applications one may have to trade between the type of algorithm to be used and the degree to which a given objective is honored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elder population continues to grow rapidly in many countries. Florida's elder population is growing faster than most states', with over one-quarter of the Florida population projected to be aged 65 and over by 2025. Involuntary examination (i.e. emergency commitment) under a state's civil commitment law is one means by which older adults experience assessment for acute mental health care. In Florida, the civil commitment law permits the involuntary examination of an individual for up to 72 hours to determine whether the person meets standards for involuntary treatment. From calendar year 2001 through 2005, there were 531,091 involuntary examinations in Florida for 301,886 people of all ages. Thirteen percent were 60 years and older at the time of their examination. The purpose of this paper is to describe the characteristics of older adults subject to involuntary examination and the nature of their examinations. While these data permit a number of inferences, there is an expansive area of research and policy analysis that remains untapped and would permit better understanding of how older adults experience such examinations. These research and policy issues will also be discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]