Recruiting a Diverse Set of Future Geoscientists through Outreach to Middle and High School Students and Teachers in Miami, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Whitman, D.; Hickey-Vargas, R.; Draper, G.; Rego, R.; Gebelein, J.

2014-12-01

Florida International University (FIU), the State University of Florida in Miami is a large enrollment, federally recognized Minority Serving Institution with over 70% of the undergraduate population coming from groups underrepresented in the geoscience workforce. Recruiting local students into the geosciences is challenging because geology is not well integrated into the local school curriculum, the geology is poorly exposed in the low-relief south Florida region and many first generation college students are reluctant to enter unfamiliar fields. We describe and present preliminary findings from Growing Community Roots for the Geosciences in Miami, FL, a 2-year, NSF funded project run by the Department of Earth and Environment at FIU which aims to inform students enrolled in the local middle and high schools to educational and career opportunities in the geosciences. The project takes a multi-faceted approach which includes direct outreach through social media platforms and school visits, a 1-week workshop for middle school teachers and a 2-week summer camp aimed at high school students. An outreach team of undergraduate geoscience majors were recruited to build and maintain informational resources on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google Plus and to accompany FIU faculty on visits to local middle schools and high schools. Both the teacher workshop and the summer camp included lectures on geoscience careers, fundamental concepts of solid earth and atmospheric science, hands on exercises with earth materials, fossils and microscopy, exercises with Google Earth imagery and GIS, and field trips to local geological sites and government facilities. Participants were surveyed at the beginning of the programs on their general educational background in math and science and their general attitudes of and interest in geoscience careers. Post program surveys showed significant increases in the comfort of teaching topics in geoscience among teachers and an increased

Geologic and hydrogeologic frameworks of the Biscayne aquifer in central Miami-Dade County, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Wacker, Michael A.; Cunningham, Kevin J.; Williams, John H.

2014-01-01

Evaluations of the lithostratigraphy, lithofacies, paleontology, ichnology, depositional environments, and cyclostratigraphy from 11 test coreholes were linked to geophysical interpretations, and to results of hydraulic slug tests of six test coreholes at the Snapper Creek Well Field (SCWF), to construct geologic and hydrogeologic frameworks for the study area in central Miami-Dade County, Florida. The resulting geologic and hydrogeologic frameworks are consistent with those recently described for the Biscayne aquifer in the nearby Lake Belt area in Miami-Dade County and link the Lake Belt area frameworks with those developed for the SCWF study area. The hydrogeologic framework is characterized by a triple-porosity pore system of (1) matrix porosity (mainly mesoporous interparticle porosity, moldic porosity, and mesoporous to megaporous separate vugs), which under dynamic conditions, produces limited flow; (2) megaporous, touching-vug porosity that commonly forms stratiform groundwater passageways; and (3) conduit porosity, including bedding-plane vugs, decimeter-scale diameter vertical solution pipes, and meter-scale cavernous vugs. The various pore types and associated permeabilities generally have a predictable vertical spatial distribution related to the cyclostratigraphy. The Biscayne aquifer within the study area can be described as two major flow units separated by a single middle semiconfining unit. The upper Biscayne aquifer flow unit is present mainly within the Miami Limestone at the top of the aquifer and has the greatest hydraulic conductivity values, with a mean of 8,200 feet per day. The middle semiconfining unit, mainly within the upper Fort Thompson Formation, comprises continuous to discontinuous zones with (1) matrix porosity; (2) leaky, low permeability layers that may have up to centimeter-scale vuggy porosity with higher vertical permeability than horizontal permeability; and (3) stratiform flow zones composed of fossil moldic porosity, burrow

Southward flow on the western flank of the Florida Current

Science.gov (United States)

Soloviev, Alexander V.; Hirons, Amy; Maingot, Christopher; Dean, Cayla W.; Dodge, Richard E.; Yankovsky, Alexander E.; Wood, Jon; Weisberg, Robert H.; Luther, Mark E.; McCreary, Julian P.

2017-07-01

A suite of long-term in situ measurements in the Straits of Florida, including the ADCP bottom moorings at an 11-m isobath and 244-m isobath (Miami Terrace) and several ADCP ship transects, have revealed a remarkable feature of the ocean circulation - southward flow on the western, coastal flank of the Florida Current. We have observed three forms of the southward flow - a seasonally varying coastal countercurrent, an undercurrent jet attached to the Florida shelf, and an intermittent undercurrent on the Miami Terrace. According to a 13-year monthly climatology obtained from the near-shore mooring, the coastal countercurrent is a persistent feature from October through January. The southward flow in the form of an undercurrent jet attached to the continental slope was observed during five ship transects from April through September but was not observed during three transects in February, March, and November. This undercurrent jet is well mixed due to strong shear at its top associated with the northward direction of the surface flow (Florida Current) and friction at the bottom. At the same time, no statistically significant seasonal cycle has been observed in the undercurrent flow on the Miami Terrace. Theoretical considerations suggest that several processes could drive the southward current, including interaction between the Florida Current and the shelf, as well as forcing that is independent of the Florida Current. The exact nature of the southward flow on the western flank of the Florida Current is, however, unknown.

Helicopter electromagnetic survey of the Model Land Area, Southeastern Miami-Dade County, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Fitterman, David V.; Deszcz-Pan, Maria; Prinos, Scott T.

2012-01-01

This report describes a helicopter electromagnetic survey flown over the Model Land Area in southeastern Miami-Dade County, Florida, to map saltwater intrusion in the Biscayne aquifer. The survey, which is located south and east of Florida City, Florida, covers an area of 115 square kilometers with a flight-line spacing of 400 meters. A five-frequency, horizontal, coplanar bird with frequencies ranging from 400 to 100,000 Hertz was used. The data were interpreted using differential resistivity analysis and inversion to produce cross sections and resistivity depth-slice maps. The depth of investigation is as deep as 100 meters in freshwater-saturated portions of the Biscayne aquifer and the depth diminishes to about 50 meters in areas that are intruded by saltwater. The results compare favorably with ground-based, time-domain electromagnetic soundings and induction logs from observation wells in the area. The base of a high-resistivity, freshwater-saturated zone mapped in the northern 2 kilometers of the survey area corresponds quite well with the base of the surficial aquifer that has been determined by drilling. In general, saltwater in the survey area extends 9 to 12 kilometers inland from the coast; however, there is a long nose of saltwater centered along the Card Sound Road Canal that extends 15 kilometers inland. The cause of this preferential intrusion is likely due to uncontrolled surface flow along the canal and subsequent leakage of saltwater into the aquifer. Saltwater also extends farther inland in the area between U.S. Highway 1 and Card Sound Road than it does to the west of this area. Until 1944, a railroad grade occupied the current location of U.S. Highway 1. Borrow ditches associated with the railroad grade connected to Barnes Sound and allowed saltwater to flow during droughts and storm surges to within a few kilometers of Florida City. Relicts of this saltwater that settled to the bottom of the Biscayne aquifer can be seen in the helicopter

Earthquake Impact on Miami Haitian Americans: The Role of Family/Social Connectedness

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Andrea; Marcelin, Louis Herns; Schmitz, Susan; Hausmann, Vicky; Shultz, James M.

2012-01-01

Individuals who are indirectly exposed to disasters may be affected psychologically. The impact of the 2010 Haiti earthquake reverberated throughout the Haitian American community in Miami, Florida. Many within the community held strong transnational family and friendship bonds to their homeland. We examined associations between indicators of…

The gold tegu, Tupinambis teguixin (Linnaeus, 1758) sensu lato (Squamata: Teiidae): evidence for an established population in Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Jake R.; Ketterlin, Jennifer K.; Rochford, Michael R.; Irwin, Rodney; Krysko, Kenneth L.; Duquesnel, James G.; Mazzotti, Frank J.; Reed, Robert

2017-01-01

Gold tegus, Tupinambis teguixin (Linnaeus, 1758), are generalist predators from South America and are ecologically similar to Argentine black and white tegus (Salvator merianae), a successful invader in Florida. We trapped gold tegus in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, Florida, USA. In Miami-Dade County, collection occurred from 2008 through 2016. We combined new trapping records with previous literature records. Ten gold tegus of both sexes and multiple size classes over a nine year period indicate a reproducing population in Miami-Dade County. Tupinambis teguixin is the sixth established non-native teiid species in Florida. Additionally, we report Tupinambis teguixin from Sarasota and Lee counties, Florida, USA. Determining population status in those counties requires further study. It is critical to differentiate this species fromSalvator merianae during removal efforts. The possibility of eradicating Tupinambis teguixin exists if proper identification enables reliable monitoring of the populations.

Detecting sedimentation impacts to coral reefs resulting from dredging the Port of Miami, Florida USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Margaret W; Karazsia, Jocelyn; Groves, Carolyn E; Griffin, Sean; Moore, Tom; Wilber, Pace; Gregg, Kurtis

2016-01-01

The federal channel at Port of Miami, Florida, USA, was dredged between late 2013 and early 2015 to widen and deepen the channel. Due to the limited spatial extent of impact-assessment monitoring associated with the project, the extent of the dredging impacts on surrounding coral reefs has not been well quantified. Previously published remote sensing analyses, as well as agency and anecdotal reports suggest the most severe and largest area of sedimentation occurred on a coral reef feature referred to as the Inner Reef, particularly in the sector north of the channel. A confounding regional warm-water mass bleaching event followed by a coral disease outbreak during this same time frame made the assessment of dredging-related impacts to coral reefs adjacent to the federal channel difficult but still feasible. The current study sought to better understand the sedimentation impacts that occurred in the coral reef environment surrounding Port of Miami, to distinguish those impacts from other regional events or disturbances, and provide supplemental information on impact assessment that will inform discussions on compensatory mitigation requirements. To this end, in-water field assessments conducted after the completion of dredging and a time series analysis of tagged corals photographed pre-, during, and post-dredging, are used to discern dredging-related sedimentation impacts for the Inner Reef north. Results indicate increased sediment accumulation, severe in certain times and places, and an associated biological response (e.g., higher prevalence of partial mortality of corals) extended up to 700 m from the channel, whereas project-associated monitoring was limited to 50 m from the channel. These results can contribute to more realistic prediction of areas of indirect effect from dredging projects needed to accurately evaluate proposed projects and design appropriate compliance monitoring. Dredging projects near valuable and sensitive habitats subject to local and

Detecting sedimentation impacts to coral reefs resulting from dredging the Port of Miami, Florida USA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Margaret W. Miller

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The federal channel at Port of Miami, Florida, USA, was dredged between late 2013 and early 2015 to widen and deepen the channel. Due to the limited spatial extent of impact-assessment monitoring associated with the project, the extent of the dredging impacts on surrounding coral reefs has not been well quantified. Previously published remote sensing analyses, as well as agency and anecdotal reports suggest the most severe and largest area of sedimentation occurred on a coral reef feature referred to as the Inner Reef, particularly in the sector north of the channel. A confounding regional warm-water mass bleaching event followed by a coral disease outbreak during this same time frame made the assessment of dredging-related impacts to coral reefs adjacent to the federal channel difficult but still feasible. The current study sought to better understand the sedimentation impacts that occurred in the coral reef environment surrounding Port of Miami, to distinguish those impacts from other regional events or disturbances, and provide supplemental information on impact assessment that will inform discussions on compensatory mitigation requirements. To this end, in-water field assessments conducted after the completion of dredging and a time series analysis of tagged corals photographed pre-, during, and post-dredging, are used to discern dredging-related sedimentation impacts for the Inner Reef north. Results indicate increased sediment accumulation, severe in certain times and places, and an associated biological response (e.g., higher prevalence of partial mortality of corals extended up to 700 m from the channel, whereas project-associated monitoring was limited to 50 m from the channel. These results can contribute to more realistic prediction of areas of indirect effect from dredging projects needed to accurately evaluate proposed projects and design appropriate compliance monitoring. Dredging projects near valuable and sensitive habitats

77 FR 60302 - Special Local Regulations; Red Bull Flugtag Miami, Biscayne Bay; Miami, FL

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-03

... received without jeopardizing the safety or security of people, places or vessels. 7. Unfunded Mandates... waters of Biscayne Bay, Miami, FL between Bayfront Park and the Intercontinental-Miami Hotel encompassed... Area. All waters of Biscayne Bay, Miami, FL between Bayfront Park and the Intercontinental-Miami Hotel...

Water conservation quantities vs customer opinion and satisfaction with water efficient appliances in Miami, Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Mengshan; Tansel, Berrin

2013-10-15

During 2006-2007, Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA, provided incentives for low income and senior residents in single family homes for retrofitting with high efficiency fixtures. The participating residences were retrofitted with high-efficiency toilets, showerheads, and aerators. In 2012, a telephone survey was conducted to evaluate the satisfaction of the participants and the associated effects on water conservation practices. This study evaluates the attitudes and opinions of the participants relative to water use efficiency measures and the actual reduction in water consumption characteristics of the participating households. The participant characteristics were analyzed to identify correlations between the socio-demographic factors, program satisfaction and actual water savings. Approximately 65.5% of the survey respondents reported changes in their water use habits and 76.6% reported noticeable reduction in their water bills. The analyses showed that the satisfaction levels of the participants were closely correlated with the actual water savings. The results also showed that satisfaction level along with water saving potential (i.e., implementation of water efficiency devices) or change of water use habits has provided positive synergistic effect on actual water savings. The majority of the participants surveyed (81.3-89.1%) reported positive attitudes for water conservation incentive program and the benefits of the high efficiency fixtures. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water resources of southeastern Florida, with special reference to geology and ground water of the Miami area

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Garald G.; Ferguson, G.E.; Love, S.K.

1955-01-01

partly occupied by fresh-water lakes and marshes. Elsewhere in southern Florida the deposits are mainly limestone and sandy terrace deposits. The Pliocene surface upon which there Pleistocene sediments were deposited was highest to the north and west of the present Everglades and Kissimmee River basin, and it sloped gently to the south, southeast, and east. On this slightly sloping floor, alternately submerged and emerged, the later materials were built; these materials, modified by wind, rain, and surface and ground waters. Have largely determined the present topographic and ecologic character of southern Florida. The most important aquifer in southern Florida, and the one in which most of the wells are developed, is the Biscayne aquifer. It is composed of parts of the Tamiami formation (Miocene), Caloosahatchee marl (Pliocene), fort Thompson formation, Anastasia formation, Key Largo limestone, Miami oolite, and Pamlico sand (Pleistoncene). In some parts of southern Florida, the Pamlico sand and the Anastasia formation are not a part of the Biscayne aquifer; however, they are utilized in the development of small water supplies. Most of the Calossahatchee marl and the Fort Thompson formation in the Lake Okeechobeee area is of very low permeability. In the northern Everglades their less permeable parts contain highly mineralized waters, which appear to have been trapped since the invasions by the Pleistocene seas. These waters have been modified by dilution with fresh ground water and by chemical reactions with surrounding materials. Sea-level fluctuations, starting at the close of the Pliocene with highest levels and progressing toward the Recent with successively lower levels. Have built a series of nearly flat marine terraces abutting against one another much like a series of broad stairsteps. Erosion and solution have deface and, in places, have obliterated the original surficial forms of these old sea bottoms, shores, and shoreline feathers,

Conference program and abstracts. International Biogeography Society 6th Biennial Meeting – 9-13 January 2013, Miami, Florida, USA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joaquín Hortal

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Proceedings of the Sixth biennial conference of the International Biogeography Society, an international and interdisciplinary society contributing to the advancement of all studies of the geography of nature. Held at Miami, Florida, USA, 9 – 13 January 2013.Abstracts include:(i the Opening, MacArthur & Wilson Award and Alfred Russel Award Plenary Lectures;(ii four symposia entitled "Island Biogeography: New Syntheses", "Beyond Bergmann: New perspectives on the biogeography of traits", "The Convergence of Conservation Paleontology and Biogeography" and "Predicting species and biodiversity in a warmer world: are we doing a good job?";(iii oral presentations from contributed papers on Phylogeography, Marine Biogeography, Biogeography of the Anthropocene, Hot Topics in biogeography, Island Biogeography, Neotropical Biogeography, Global Change Biogeography, Historical and Paleo-biogeography, Conservation Biogeography and Global-Scale Biogeography; and(iv contributions presented as posters on Phylogeography, Geospatial techniques and land cover, Biodiversity gradients and macroecology, Biogeography of traits, Island Biogeography, Neotropical Biogeography, Conservation Biogeography, Disturbance and Disease Biogeography, Climate Change Biogeography and Historical and Paleo-Biogeography.

Ridership impacts of South Florida's EASY smart card : [summary].

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-01

Transit agencies across the U.S. increasingly are replacing electronic fare reading systems with Advanced Fare Collection (AFC) or smart card systems. In 2009, Miami-Dade Transit (MDT) was the first Florida transit agency to deploy AFC, branded...

Using High-Impact HIV Prevention to Achieve the National HIV/AIDS Strategic Goals in Miami-Dade County, Florida: A Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Carey, James W; LaLota, Marlene; Villamizar, Kira; McElroy, Tamara; Wilson, M Maximillion; Garcia, Jersey; Sandrock, Robert; Taveras, Janelle; Candio, Darline; Flores, Stephen A

2015-01-01

: In response to the release of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed the "Enhanced Comprehensive HIV Prevention Planning" project, which provided support to health departments in 12 Metropolitan Statistical Areas with the highest AIDS prevalence to strengthen local HIV programs. We describe a case study of how 1 Metropolitan Statistical Area, Miami-Dade County, developed and implemented a locally tailored plan. Examples include actions to reinforce local partnerships and identify neighborhoods with highest unmet needs, an improved condom distribution system to assist local HIV care providers, collaboration with local stakeholders to establish a new walk-in center for transgender client needs, and overcoming incompatibilities in health department and Ryan White Program computer record systems to facilitate faster and more efficient patient services. These examples show how jurisdictions both within Florida and elsewhere can create low-cost and sustainable activities tailored to improve local HIV prevention needs.

Bringing the Microcomputer into the Junior High: A Success Story from Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Benjamin S.

1982-01-01

Describes the introduction of an Apple II microcomputer into Miami Lakes (Florida) Junior High School and its success in generating enthusiasm among teachers, students, parents, and the community. (Author/RW)

Faunal and vegetation monitoring in response to harbor dredging in the Port of Miami

Science.gov (United States)

Daniels, Andre; Stevenson, Rachael; Smith, Erin; Robblee, Michael

2018-04-11

Seagrasses are highly productive ecosystems. A before-after-control-impact (BACI) design was used to examine effects of dredging on seagrasses and the animals that inhabit them. The control site North Biscayne Bay and the affected site Port of Miami had seagrass densities decrease during both the before, Fish and Invertebrate Assessment Network 2006-2011, and after, Faunal Monitoring in Response to Harbor Dredging 2014-2016, studies. Turbidity levels increased at North Biscayne Bay and Port of Miami basins during the Faunal Monitoring in Response to Harbor Dredging study, especially in 2016. Animal populations decreased significantly in North Biscayne Bay and Port of Miami in the Faunal Monitoring in Response to Harbor Dredging study compared to the Fish and Invertebrate Assessment Network study. Predictive modeling shows that numbers of animal populations will likely continue to decrease if the negative trends in seagrass densities continue unabated. There could be effects on several fisheries vital to the south Florida economy. Additional research could determine if animal populations and seagrass densities have rebounded or continued to decrease.

Florida Hydrogen Initiative

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Block, David L

2013-06-30

The Florida Hydrogen Initiative (FHI) was a research, development and demonstration hydrogen and fuel cell program. The FHI program objectives were to develop Florida?s hydrogen and fuel cell infrastructure and to assist DOE in its hydrogen and fuel cell activities The FHI program funded 12 RD&D projects as follows: Hydrogen Refueling Infrastructure and Rental Car Strategies -- L. Lines, Rollins College This project analyzes strategies for Florida's early stage adaptation of hydrogen-powered public transportation. In particular, the report investigates urban and statewide network of refueling stations and the feasibility of establishing a hydrogen rental-car fleet based in Orlando. Methanol Fuel Cell Vehicle Charging Station at Florida Atlantic University ? M. Fuchs, EnerFuel, Inc. The project objectives were to design, and demonstrate a 10 kWnet proton exchange membrane fuel cell stationary power plant operating on methanol, to achieve an electrical energy efficiency of 32% and to demonstrate transient response time of less than 3 milliseconds. Assessment of Public Understanding of the Hydrogen Economy Through Science Center Exhibits, J. Newman, Orlando Science Center The project objective was to design and build an interactive Science Center exhibit called: ?H2Now: the Great Hydrogen Xchange?. On-site Reformation of Diesel Fuel for Hydrogen Fueling Station Applications ? A. Raissi, Florida Solar Energy Center This project developed an on-demand forecourt hydrogen production technology by catalytically converting high-sulfur hydrocarbon fuels to an essentially sulfur-free gas. The removal of sulfur from reformate is critical since most catalysts used for the steam reformation have limited sulfur tolerance. Chemochromic Hydrogen Leak Detectors for Safety Monitoring ? N. Mohajeri and N. Muradov, Florida Solar Energy Center This project developed and demonstrated a cost-effective and highly selective chemochromic (visual) hydrogen leak detector for safety

High Resolution Forecasts in the Florida Straits: Predicting the Modulations of the Florida Current and Connectivity Around South Florida and Cuba

Science.gov (United States)

Kourafalou, V.; Kang, H.; Perlin, N.; Le Henaff, M.; Lamkin, J. T.

2016-02-01

Connectivity around the South Florida coastal regions and between South Florida and Cuba are largely influenced by a) local coastal processes and b) circulation in the Florida Straits, which is controlled by the larger scale Florida Current variability. Prediction of the physical connectivity is a necessary component for several activities that require ocean forecasts, such as oil spills, fisheries research, search and rescue. This requires a predictive system that can accommodate the intense coastal to offshore interactions and the linkages to the complex regional circulation. The Florida Straits, South Florida and Florida Keys Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model is such a regional ocean predictive system, covering a large area over the Florida Straits and the adjacent land areas, representing both coastal and oceanic processes. The real-time ocean forecast system is high resolution ( 900m), embedded in larger scale predictive models. It includes detailed coastal bathymetry, high resolution/high frequency atmospheric forcing and provides 7-day forecasts, updated daily (see: http://coastalmodeling.rsmas.miami.edu/). The unprecedented high resolution and coastal details of this system provide value added on global forecasts through downscaling and allow a variety of applications. Examples will be presented, focusing on the period of a 2015 fisheries cruise around the coastal areas of Cuba, where model predictions helped guide the measurements on biophysical connectivity, under intense variability of the mesoscale eddy field and subsequent Florida Current meandering.

Temperature, salinity, photosynthetically active radiation and weather parameters at SEAKEYS stations in the Florida Keys, 2007 (NODC Accession 0058101)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This accession contains data collected at several Coastal-Marine Automated Network (C-MAN) stations in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Florida Bay....

Temperature, salinity, photosynthetically active radiation and weather parameters at SEAKEYS stations in the Florida Keys, 2006 (NODC Accession 0058100)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This accession contains data collected at several Coastal-Marine Automated Network (C-MAN) stations in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Florida Bay....

Temperature, salinity, photosynthetically active radiation and weather parameters at SEAKEYS stations in the Florida Keys, 2004 (NODC Accession 0058098)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This accession contains data collected at several Coastal-Marine Automated Network (C-MAN) stations in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Florida Bay....

Temperature, salinity, photosynthetically active radiation and weather parameters at SEAKEYS stations in the Florida Keys, 2003 (NODC Accession 0058097)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This accession contains data collected at several Coastal-Marine Automated Network (C-MAN) stations in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Florida Bay....

Temperature, salinity, photosynthetically active radiation and weather parameters at SEAKEYS stations in the Florida Keys, 2005 (NODC Accession 0058099)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This accession contains data collected at several Coastal-Marine Automated Network (C-MAN) stations in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Florida Bay....

Hurricane modification and adaptation in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Klima, Kelly; Lin, Ning; Emanuel, Kerry; Morgan, M Granger; Grossmann, Iris

2012-01-17

We investigate tropical cyclone wind and storm surge damage reduction for five areas along the Miami-Dade County coastline either by hardening buildings or by the hypothetical application of wind-wave pumps to modify storms. We calculate surge height and wind speed as functions of return period and sea surface temperature reduction by wind-wave pumps. We then estimate costs and economic losses with the FEMA HAZUS-MH MR3 damage model and census data on property at risk. All areas experience more surge damages for short return periods, and more wind damages for long periods. The return period at which the dominating hazard component switches depends on location. We also calculate the seasonal expected fraction of control damage for different scenarios to reduce damages. Surge damages are best reduced through a surge barrier. Wind damages are best reduced by a portfolio of techniques that, assuming they work and are correctly deployed, include wind-wave pumps.

Saltwater intrusion monitoring in Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Prinos, Scott T.

2016-01-01

Florida's communities are largely dependent on freshwater from groundwater aquifers. Existing saltwater in the aquifers, or seawater that intrudes parts of the aquifers that were fresh, can make the water unusable without additional processing. The quality of Florida's saltwater intrusion monitoring networks varies. In Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, for example, there is a well-designed network with recently constructed short open-interval monitoring wells that bracket the saltwater interface in the Biscayne aquifer. Geochemical analyses of water samples from the network help scientists evaluate pathways of saltwater intrusion and movement of the saltwater interface. Geophysical measurements, collected in these counties, aid the mapping of the saltwater interface and the design of monitoring networks. In comparison, deficiencies in the Collier County monitoring network include the positioning of monitoring wells, reliance on wells with long open intervals that when sampled might provide questionable results, and the inability of existing analyses to differentiate between multiple pathways of saltwater intrusion. A state-wide saltwater intrusion monitoring network is being planned; the planned network could improve saltwater intrusion monitoring by adopting the applicable strategies of the networks of Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, and by addressing deficiencies such as those described for the Collier County network.

Defense Base Realignment and Closure Budget Data for Naval Air Technical Training Center, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Granetto, Paul

1994-01-01

.... This report provides the results of the audit of 19 projects, valued at $288.9 million, for the realignment of the Naval Air Technical Training Center from Naval Air Station Memphis, Tennessee, to Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida...

Assessing likely invasion sites of Zika virus-infected mosquitoes in civilian and naval maritime ports in Florida

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kollars TM

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Thomas M Kollars College of Health Sciences, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA, USA Abstract: Several mosquito species are capable of invading new geographic regions and exploiting niches that are similar to their natural home ranges where they may introduce, or reintroduce, pathogens. In addition to initial invasion, introduction of new genotypes into established populations may also occur. Zika virus is spreading throughout the world, posing significant health risks to human populations, particularly pregnant women and their infants. The first locally acquired case of Zika virus in the US occurred in July 2016 in Miami, Florida on the Atlantic coast; the first locally acquired case in another US county occurred in the Tampa, Florida area. Three port cities in Florida were chosen to assess the risk of import and spread of Zika virus: Mayport Naval Station, Miami, and Tampa. The bioagent transport and enviromental modeling system TIGER model and ArcGIS were used to analyze abiotic and biotic factors influencing potentially Zika-infected Aedes species, should they enter through these ports. The model was tested by overlaying documented and suspected concurrent Zika cases and comparing published high-risk areas for Zika virus. In addition to Zika hot zones being identified, output indicates surveillance and integrated mosquito management should expect larger zones. Surveillance sites at ports should be identified and prioritized for pathogen and vector control to reduce the import of mosquitoes infected with Zika virus. Low resolution maps often provide valuable suitability of the geographic expansion of organisms. Providing a higher resolution predictive map, identifying probable routes of invasion, and providing areas at high risk for initial invasion and control zones, will aid in controlling and perhaps eliminating the spread of arboviruses through mosquito vectors. Keywords: Aedes, Zika virus, invasive species, maritime ports, biological

Initial Remedial Action Plan for Expanded Bioventing System BX Service Station, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

1995-01-01

This initial remedial action plan presents the scope for an expanded bioventing system for in situ treatment of fuel-contaminated soils at the BX Service Station at Patrick Air Force Base (AFB), Florida...

Evaluation of Confining Layer Integrity Beneath the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant, Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department, Dade County, Florida

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Starr, Robert Charles; Green, Timothy Scott; Hull, Laurence Charles

2001-02-01

A review has been performed of existing information that describes geology, hydrogeology, and geochemistry at the South District Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is operated by the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department, in Dade County, Florida. Treated sanitary wastewater is injected into a saline aquifer beneath the plant. Detection of contaminants commonly associated with treated sanitary wastewater in the freshwater aquifer that overlies the saline aquifer has indicated a need for a reevaluation of the ability of the confining layer above the saline aquifer to prevent fluid migration into the overlying freshwater aquifer. Review of the available data shows that the geologic data set is not sufficient to demonstrate that a competent confining layer is present between the saline and freshwater aquifers. The hydrogeologic data also do not indicate that a competent confining layer is present. The geochemical data show that the freshwater aquifer is contaminated with treated wastewater, and the spatial patterns of contamination are consistent with upward migration through localized conduits through the Middle Confining Unit, such as leaking wells or natural features. Recommendations for collection and interpretation of additional site characterization data are provided.

"PCI Reading Program": The Final Report of a Three Year Experimental Study in Brevard Public Schools and Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Research Report

Science.gov (United States)

Toby, Megan; Jaciw, Andrew; Ma, Boya; Lipton, Akiko

2011-01-01

PCI Education conducted a three-year longitudinal study to determine the comparative effectiveness of the "PCI Reading Program" ("PCI") for students with severe disabilities as implemented in Florida's Brevard Public Schools and Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The primary question addressed by the study is whether students…

NOAA Miami Regional Library > Home

Science.gov (United States)

Library Collections Open Access Resources Research Tools E-resources NOAA S. and NOAA N.E. Library Institutional Repository DIVE INTO About the Library | Collections | Research Tools | Library Services & NOAA Miami Regional Library @ AOML & NHC NOAA Miami Regional Library at National Hurricane

Temperature, salinity, photosynthetically active radiation and weather parameters at SEAKEYS station Molasses Reef (MLRF) in the Florida Keys, 1992-2000 (NODC Accession 0058102)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This accession contains data collected at several Coastal-Marine Automated Network (C-MAN) stations in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Florida Bay....

Host range expansion and increased damage potential of Euwallacea nr. fornicatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Ambrosia beetles in the Euwallacea nr. fornicatus complex (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) vector Fusarium spp. fungi pathogenic to susceptible hosts, including avocado. The Florida avocado production area in Miami-Dade County was surveyed for E. nr. fornicatus upon observations of initial damage in 2016...

76 FR 24840 - Safety Zone; 2011 Rohto Ironman 70.3 Miami, Biscayne Bay, Miami, FL

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-03

... Lieutenant Paul A. Steiner, Sector Miami Prevention Department, Coast Guard; telephone 305-535-8724, e-mail Paul.A.Steiner@uscg.mil . If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, call... Lieutenant Paul A. Steiner, Sector Miami Prevention Department, Coast Guard; telephone 305-535-8724, e-mail...

The Efficacy of PCI's Reading Program--Level One: A Report of a Randomized Experiment in Brevard Public Schools and Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Research Summary

Science.gov (United States)

Empirical Education Inc., 2008

2008-01-01

PCI Education sought scientifically based evidence on the effectiveness of the "PCI Reading Program--Level One" for students with severe disabilities. During the 2007-2008 academic year. Empirical Education conducted a randomized control trial (RCT) in two Florida districts, Brevard and Miami-Dade County Public Schools. For this…

The Efficacy of PCI's "Reading Program--Level One": A Report of a Randomized Experiment in Brevard Public Schools and Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Research Report

Science.gov (United States)

Toby, Megan; Ma, Boya; Jaciw, Andrew; Cabalo, Jessica

2008-01-01

PCI Education sought scientifically based evidence on the effectiveness of the "PCI Reading Program--Level One" for students with severe disabilities. During the 2007-2008 academic year. Empirical Education conducted a randomized control trial (RCT) in two Florida districts, Brevard and Miami-Dade County Public Schools. For this…

The Effect of Coastal Development on Storm Surge Flooding in Biscayne Bay, Florida, USA (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, K.; Liu, H.; Li, Y.

2013-12-01

Barrier islands and associated bays along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts are a favorite place for both living and visiting. Many of them are vulnerable to storm surge flooding because of low elevations and constantly being subjected to the impacts of storms. The population increase and urban development along the barrier coast have altered the shoreline configuration, resulting in a dramatic change in the coastal flooding pattern in some areas. Here we present such a case based on numerical simulations of storm surge flooding caused by the1926 hurricane in the densely populated area surrounding Biscayne Bay in Miami, Florida. The construction of harbor and navigation channels, and the development of real estate and the roads connecting islands along Biscayne Bay have changed the geometry of Biscayne Bay since 1910s. Storm surge simulations show that the Port of Miami and Dodge Island constructed by human after 1950 play an important role in changing storm surge inundation pattern along Biscayne Bay. Dodge Island enhances storm surge and increases inundation in the area south of the island, especially at the mouth of Miami River (Downtown of Miami), and reduces storm surge flooding in the area north of the island, especially in Miami Beach. If the Hurricane Miami of 1926 happened today, the flooding area would be reduced by 55% and 20% in the Miami Beach and North Miami areas, respectively. Consequently, it would prevent 400 million of property and 10 thousand people from surge flooding according to 2010 U.S census and 2007 property tax data. Meanwhile, storm water would penetrate further inland south of Dodge Island and increase the flooding area by 25% in the Miami River and Downtown Miami areas. As a result, 200 million of property and five thousand people would be impacted by storm surge.

Clean coal technology project to Polk Power Station, Tampa Electric Company, Florida, Volume 1: Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-06-01

Tampa Electric Company proposes to construct and operate a 1,150-MW power station in southwestern Polk County, Florida. The proposed Polk Power Station would require an EPA NPDES permit for a new source and would include a 260-MW IGCC unit as a DOE Clean Coal Technology demonstration project. This EIS document assesses the proposed project and alternatives with respect to environmental impacts. Mitigative measures are also evaluated for the preferred alternative. Included in this Volume I are the following: alternatives including Tampa Electric Companies proposed project (preferred alternative with DOE financial assistance); affected environment; environmental consequences of the alternatives

'Love and trust, you can be blinded': HIV risk within relationships among Latina women in Miami, Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Ibañez, Gladys E; Whitt, Elaine; Avent, Tenesha; Martin, Steve S; Varga, Leah M; Cano, Miguel A; O'Connell, Daniel J

2017-10-01

Latina women are disproportionately affected by HIV in the US, and account for 30% of all HIV infections in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The main risk for Latina women is heterosexual contact. Little is known about the relational and cultural factors that may impact women's HIV risk perception. This study aims to describe Latina women's perception of their HIV risk within a relational, cultural, and linguistic context. Eight focus groups of Latina women (n = 28), four English speaking groups and four Spanish speaking groups, were conducted between December 2013 and May 2014. Women were recruited from a diversion program for criminal justice clients and by word of mouth. Eligibility criteria included the following: self-identify as Hispanic/Latino, 18-49 years of age, and self-identify as heterosexual. A two-level open coding analytic approach was conducted to identify themes across groups. Most participants were foreign-born (61%) and represented the following countries: Cuba (47%), Honduras (17.5%), Mexico (12%), as well as Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Colombia, and Venezuela (15%). Participant ages ranged between 18 and 49, with a mean age of 32 years. Relationship factors were important in perceiving HIV risk including male infidelity, women's trust in their male partners, relationship type, and getting caught up in the heat of the moment. For women in the English speaking groups, drug use and trading sex for drugs were also reasons cited for putting them at risk for HIV. English speaking women also reported that women should take more responsibility regarding condom use. Findings emphasize the importance of taking relational and cultural context into account when developing HIV prevention programs for Latina women. Interventions targeting English speaking Latina women should focus on women being more proactive in their sexual health; interventions focused on Spanish speaking women might target their prevention messages to either men or couples.

Spread of the Rat Lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) in Giant African Land Snails (Lissachatina fulica) in Florida, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwanowicz, Deborah D; Sanders, Lakyn R; Schill, W Bane; Xayavong, Maniphet V; da Silva, Alexandre J; Qvarnstrom, Yvonne; Smith, Trevor

2015-07-01

The rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) is a parasitic nematode that causes rat lungworm disease. It is the leading cause of eosinophilic meningitis and is a zoonotic health risk. We confirmed the presence of A. cantonensis using species-specific, quantitative PCR in 18 of 50 (36%) giant African land snails (Lissachatina fulica) collected from Miami, Florida, US in May 2013. These snails were collected from seven of 21 core areas that the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services monitor weekly. Rat lungworms have not previously been identified in these areas. Duplicate DNA extractions of foot muscle tissue from each snail were tested. Of the seven core areas we examined, six were positive for A. cantonensis and prevalence of infection ranged from 27% to 100%. Of the 18 positive snails, only five were positive in both extractions. Our results confirm an increase in the range and prevalence of rat lungworm infection in Miami. We also emphasize the importance of extracting sufficient host tissue to minimize false negatives.

Analysis of water quality and circulation of four recreational Miami beaches through the use of Lagrangian Coherent Structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Fiorentino, L A; Olascoaga, M J; Reniers, A

2014-06-15

Four popular, recreational beaches in Miami, FL are Hobie Beach, Virginia Key Beach, Crandon Park Beach, and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. While all of the beaches are within a few miles of each other in Biscayne Bay, they have greatly differing water qualities, as determined by the testing for fecal indicator bacteria performed by the Florida Department of Health. Using the geodesic theory of transport barriers, we identify Lagrangian Coherent Structures (LCSs) in each area. We show how these material curves, which shape circulation and mixing patterns, can be used to explain the incongruous states of the water at beaches that should be comparable. The LCSs are computed using a hydrodynamic model and verified through field experimentation at each beach. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sexual risk behaviours associated with unlicensed driving among young adults in Miami's electronic dance music nightclub scene.

Science.gov (United States)

Buttram, Mance E; Kurtz, Steven P; Paul, Roddia J

2017-11-01

Literature indicates that unlicensed driving (UD) offenders report substance use risk behaviours, yet data related to sexual risk behaviours is unknown. This study examined sexual and other risk behaviours among young adults in Miami, Florida, comparing UD and non-UD offenders (n=498). Compared with others, UD offenders were more likely to report group sex history, being high for sex half the time or more, purchasing sex and sexually transmissible infection history. Results suggest that locating sexual risk reduction interventions inside of the justice system would benefit UD offenders.

Application of a Density-Dependent Numerical Model (MODHMS) to Assess Salinity Intrusion in the Biscayne Aquifer, North Miami-Dade County, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Guha, H.; Panday, S.

2005-05-01

Miami-Dade County is located at the Southeastern part of the State of Florida adjoining the Atlantic coast. The sole drinking water source is the Biscayne Aquifer, which is an unconfined freshwater aquifer, composed of marine limestone with intermediate sand lenses. The aquifer is highly conductive with hydraulic conductivity values ranging from 1,000 ft/day to over 100,000 ft/day in some areas. Saltwater intrusion from the coast is an immediate threat to the freshwater resources of the County. Therefore, a multilayer density-dependent transient groundwater model was developed to evaluate the saltwater intrusion characteristics of the system. The model was developed using MODHMS, a finite difference, fully coupled groundwater and surface water flow and transport model. The buoyancy term is included in the equation for unconfined flow and the flow and transport equations are coupled using an iterative scheme. The transport equation was solved using an adaptive implicit total variation diminishing (TVD) scheme and anisotropy of dispersivity was included for longitudinal, transverse, vertical transverse, and vertical longitudinal directions. The model eastern boundaries extended approximately 3.5 miles into the Atlantic Ocean while the western boundary extended approximately 27 miles inland from the coast. The northern and southern boundaries extend 6 miles into Broward County and up to the C-100 canal in Miami-Dade County respectively. Close to 2 million active nodes were simulated, with horizontal discretization of 500 feet. A total of nine different statistical analyses were conducted with observed and simulated hydraulic heads. The analysis indicates that the model simulated hydraulic heads matched closely with the observed heads across the model domain. In general, the model reasonably simulated the inland extent of saltwater intrusion within the aquifer, and matched relatively well with limited observed chloride data from monitoring wells along the coast

Miami's Tequesta Site: Could It Be a Native American Study Site For Natural Periodicities Associated With Tornados, Hurricanes, or Earthquakes?

Science.gov (United States)

Mac Dougall, Jean S.; Mc Leod, David M.; Mc Leod, Roger D.

2002-10-01

Florida invested in preserving the Tequesta Indians' "Stonehenge-like" site along the Miami River. Direct observation, and telecast reports, show that a strong association exists between this area and Native American place names, hurricanes, tornados, a waterspout, and other nearby phenomena. Electromagnetic stimulation of human nervous systems in areas like these, discernable by appropriately sensitive individuals when these types of events occur, could plausibly account for some correct "predictions" of events like earthquakes. Various sensory modalities may be activated there. It may be important to understand other historic aspects associated with cultural artifacts like Miami's Tequesta remains. If it also generates instrumentally detectable signals that correlate with visual, "auditory," or nerve ending "tinglings" like those cited by the psychiatrist Arthur Guirdham in books like his Obsessions, applied physicists could partly vindicate the investment and also provide a net return. Society and comparative religious study may benefit.

The Stocker AstroScience Center at Florida International University

Science.gov (United States)

Webb, James R.

2014-01-01

The new Stocker AstroScience Center located on the MMC campus at Florida International University in Miami Florida represents a unique facility for STEM education that arose from a combination of private, State and university funding. The building, completed in the fall of 2013, contains some unique spaces designed not only to educate, but also to inspire students interested in science and space exploration. The observatory consists of a 4-story building (3 floors) with a 24” ACE automated telescope in an Ash dome, and an observing platform above surrounding buildings. Some of the unique features of the observatory include an entrance/exhibition hall with a 6-ft glass tile floor mural linking the Florida climate to space travel, a state-of-the art telescope control that looks like a starship bridge, and displays such as “Music from the universe”. The observatory will also be the focus of our extensive public outreach program that is entering its 20 year.

76 FR 1191 - National Register of Historic Places; Notification of Pending Nominations and Related Actions

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-07

... County El Portal Old Schoolhouse, Chapel Lane, El Portal, 10001190 Nevada County North Star House, 12075 Old Auburn Rd, Grass Valley, 10001191 FLORIDA Miami-Dade County Fowey Rocks Light, (Light Stations of..., 10001184 VIRGINIA Fairfax County Panorama, 1005 Panorama Rd, Montross, 10001186 Halifax County Town of...

Miami's Third Sector Alliance for Community Well-being.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Scotney D; Raymond, Catherine; Levine, Daniella

2014-01-01

Traditional capacity-building approaches tend to be organizationally focused ignoring the fact that community-based organizations learn and take action in a larger network working to promote positive community change. The specific aim of this paper was to outline a vision for a Third Sector Alliance to build organizational, network, and sector capacity for community well-being in Miami. Building a foundation for social impact requires a strategy for organizational, network, and sector capacity building. Organizational, network, and sector capacity building can best be achieved through a cooperative network approach driven by a solid community-university partnership. Although a Third Sector Alliance for Community Well-being does not yet exist in Miami, Catalyst Miami and the University of Miami (UM) have partnered closely to articulate a vision of what could be and have been working to make that vision a reality.

Preliminary evidence of HIV seroconversion among HIV-negative men who have sex with men taking non-prescribed antiretroviral medication for HIV prevention in Miami, Florida, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Buttram, Mance E; Kurtz, Steven P

2017-04-01

Background Limited information suggests that men who have sex with men (MSM) are informally obtaining antiretroviral medication (ARVs) and using them for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Data are drawn from an on-going study examining the use of non-prescribed ARVs for PrEP. To date, 24 qualitative interviews have been conducted with HIV-negative, substance-using MSM living in Miami, Florida, USA. Data are presented from two participants who reported HIV seroconversion while using non-prescribed ARVs for PrEP. Preliminary data indicate that some young MSM: (i) lack awareness of and accurate information about the efficacious use of PrEP; (ii) obtain non-prescribed ARVs from HIV-positive sex partners and use these medications for PrEP in a way that does not provide adequate protection against HIV infection or cohere with established guidelines; and (iii) engage in multiple HIV transmission risk behaviours, including condomless anal sex and injection drug use. The informal, non-prescribed and non-medically supervised use of ARVs for HIV prevention has the potential to undermine the protective benefits of PrEP and leave men unprotected against HIV transmission and at risk for ARV resistance.

76 FR 8656 - Safety Zone; Miami International Triathlon, Bayfront Park, Miami, FL

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-15

...-mail Lieutenant Paul A. Steiner, Sector Miami Prevention Department, Coast Guard; telephone 305-535-8724, e-mail Paul.A.Steiner@uscg.mil . If you have questions on viewing the docket, call Renee V...

Blood Lead Levels in Children and Environmental Lead Contamination in Miami Inner City, Florida

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Theophile Niyonsenga

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Studies have shown that the environmental conditions of the home are important predictors of health, especially in low-income communities. Understanding the relationship between the environment and health is crucial in the management of certain diseases. One health outcome related to the home environment among urban, minority, and low-income children is childhood lead poisoning. The most common sources of lead exposure for children are lead paint in older, dilapidated housing and contaminated dust and soil produced by accumulated residue of leaded gasoline. Blood lead levels (BLL as low as 10 μg/dL in children are associated with impaired cognitive function, behavior difficulties, and reduced intelligence. Recently, it is suggested that the standard for intervention be lowered to BLL of 5 μg /dl. The objectives of our report were to assess the prevalence of lead poisoning among children under six years of age and to quantify and test the correlations between BLL in children and lead exposure levels in their environment. This cross-sectional analysis was restricted to 75 children under six years of age who lived in 6 zip code areas of inner city Miami. These locations exhibited unacceptably high levels of lead dust and soil in areas where children live and play. Using the 5 μg/dL as the cutoff point, the prevalence of lead poisoning among the study sample was 13.33%. The study revealed that lead levels in floor dust and window sill samples were positively and significantly correlated with BLL among children (p < 0.05. However, the correlations between BLL and the soil, air, and water samples were not significant. Based on this pilot study, a more comprehensive environmental study in surrounding inner city areas is warranted. Parental education on proper housecleaning techniques may also benefit those living in the high lead-exposed communities of inner city Miami.

Biking to work in Miami. Final technical report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kerr, O.

1982-08-01

The objective of the project was to produce and distribute a guide to commuting by bicycle in the Miami metropolitan area. The area is uniquely suited to bicycling because of its pleasant year-round climate and relatively flat topography. Persuading even a small percentage of automobile commuters to try biking to work could result in substantial energy savings in Miami as in most other major metropolitan areas. Seven of the largest employment centers in the area were selected as major commuter destinations suitable for bicycle commuters. Safe and scenic ways of commuting to these areas by bicycle were mapped and described in a series of short narratives. Additional material on safe riding techniques and the choice of equipment was developed. The resulting 40 page booklet, Biking to Work in Miami, was printed and distributed by the author to local cycling groups, bicycle interests, and others. Copies were also sent to interested parties outside the Miami area. The initial reception has been very encouraging and a number of favorable reply cards have been received with useful comments and suggestions. A revised version aimed at stimulating bikers to avail of the soon-to-be-opened rapid transit system is being considered. A writer for the Miami Herald is interested in using parts of the Guide for a series in the newspaper.

78 FR 40079 - Special Local Regulations; Red Bull Flugtag Miami, Biscayne Bay; Miami, FL

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-03

... so that your message can be received without jeopardizing the safety or security of people, places or... Bayfront Park and the Intercontinental-Miami Hotel encompassed within the following points: Starting at...

Using state-of-the-art technology to evaluate saltwater intrusion in the Biscayne aquifer of Miami-Dade County, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Prinos, Scott T.

2014-01-01

The fresh groundwater supplies of many communities have been adversely affected or limited by saltwater intrusion. An insufficient understanding of the origin of intruded saltwater may lead to inefficient or ineffective water-resource management. A 2008–2012 cooperative U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Miami-Dade County study of saltwater intrusion describes state-of-the art technology used to evaluate the origin and distribution of this saltwater.

Characterization of the spatial distribution of porosity in the eogenetic karst Miami Limestone using ground penetrating radar

Science.gov (United States)

Mount, G. J.; Comas, X.; Wright, W. J.; McClellan, M. D.

2014-12-01

Hydrogeologic characterization of karst limestone aquifers is difficult due to the variability in the spatial distribution of porosity and dissolution features. Typical methods for aquifer investigation, such as drilling and pump testing, are limited by the scale or spatial extent of the measurement. Hydrogeophysical techniques such as ground penetrating radar (GPR) can provide indirect measurements of aquifer properties and be expanded spatially beyond typical point measures. This investigation used a multiscale approach to identify and quantify porosity distribution in the Miami Limestone, the lithostratigraphic unit that composes the uppermost portions of the Biscayne Aquifer in Miami Dade County, Florida. At the meter scale, laboratory measures of porosity and dielectric permittivity were made on blocks of Miami Limestone using zero offset GPR, laboratory and digital image techniques. Results show good correspondence between GPR and analytical porosity estimates and show variability between 22 and 66 %. GPR measurements at the field scale 10-1000 m investigated the bulk porosity of the limestone based on the assumption that a directly measured water table would remain at a consistent depth in the GPR reflection record. Porosity variability determined from the changes in the depth to water table resulted in porosity values that ranged from 33 to 61 %, with the greatest porosity variability being attributed to the presence of dissolution features. At the larger field scales, 100 - 1000 m, fitting of hyperbolic diffractions in GPR common offsets determined the vertical and horizontal variability of porosity in the saturated subsurface. Results indicate that porosity can vary between 23 and 41 %, and delineate potential areas of enhanced recharge or groundwater / surface water interactions. This study shows porosity variability in the Miami Limestone can range from 22 to 66 % within 1.5 m distances, with areas of high macroporosity or karst dissolution features

Urban Evapotranspiration and Carbon Dioxide Flux in Miami - Dade, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Bernier, T.; Hopper, W.

2010-12-01

Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide (CO2) concentrations are leading indicators of secular climate change. With increasing awareness of the consequences of climate change, methods for monitoring this change are becoming more important daily. Of particular interest is the carbon dioxide exchange between natural and urban landscapes and the correlation of atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Monitoring Evapotranspiration (ET) is important for assessments of water availability for growing populations. ET is surprisingly understudied in the hydrologic cycle considering ET removes as much as 80 to over 100% of precipitation back into the atmosphere as water vapor. Lack of understanding in spatial and temporal ET estimates can limit the credibility of hydrologic water budgets designed to promote sustainable water use and resolve water-use conflicts. Eddy covariance (EC) methods are commonly used to estimate ET and CO2 fluxes. The EC platform consist of a (CSAT) 3-D Sonic Anemometer and a Li-Cor Open Path CO2/ H2O Analyzer. Measurements collected at 10 Hz create a very large data sets. A EC flux tower located in the Snapper Creek Well Field as part of a study to estimate ET for the Miami Dade County Water and Sewer project. Data has been collected from December 17, 2009 to August 30, 2010. QA/QC is performed with the EdiRe data processing software according to Ameri-flux protocols. ET estimates along with other data--latent-heat flux, sensible-heat flux, rainfall, air temperature, wind speed and direction, solar irradiance, net radiation, soil-heat flux and relative humidity--can be used to aid in the development of water management policies and regulations. Currently, many financial institutions have adopted an understanding about baseline environmental monitoring. The “Equator Principle” is an example of a voluntary standard for managing social and environmental risk in project financing and has changed the way in which projects are financed.

The War against Drugs. How much Support is Enough

Science.gov (United States)

1990-02-27

Miami Chamber of Commerce , he stated: "We have seen how Cuba uses drug smugglers to funnel arms to Communist insurgencies and terrorists. And it is not...34 Address to the Miami Chamber of Commerce , Miami, Florida: 14 September 1984. 2. National Drug Control Strategy (Washington: The White House...Drugs: The International Dimension." Address to the Miami Chamber of Commerce , Miami, Florida: 14 September 1984. 20. Soldiers, 1 January 1990 21. Taft

Florida intercity high speed rail passenger service

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Najafi, F.T.; Watford, S.; Moore, G.; Des, A. [Florida Univ., Gainesville, FL (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering

1997-10-01

Plans for a new high-speed rail (HSR) transportation system in Florida were reviewed. HSR is believed to be the least expensive, most energy-efficient and least environmentally harmful alternative to air and highway travel. The system in Florida will be used as a case study to determine its overall impact on the environment, people and economy. The 300-plus mile system will move travelers at speeds of over 200 mph between Miami, Orlando, and Tampa. The study will identify the impacts of a HSR system on existing transportation networks, environment, energy, growth and growth distribution, safety, economy, travel time, and tourism. Transportation problems and the innovative mechanisms needed to realize the joint public and private venture approach to planning, locating, permitting, managing, financing, constructing and maintaining an inter-regional HSR line for the state were studied. The all-electric train would greatly help the environment in two ways: (1) zero emissions from the train itself, and (2) the reduction of trips by automobile and aircraft would reduce the amount of fuel and energy being used. 4 refs., 1 fig.

Estimating porosity and solid dielectric permittivity in the Miami Limestone using high-frequency ground penetrating radar (GPR) measurements at the laboratory scale

Science.gov (United States)

Mount, Gregory J.; Comas, Xavier

2014-10-01

Subsurface water flow in South Florida is largely controlled by the heterogeneous nature of the karst limestone in the Biscayne aquifer and its upper formation, the Miami Limestone. These heterogeneities are amplified by dissolution structures that induce changes in the aquifer's material and physical properties (i.e., porosity and dielectric permittivity) and create preferential flow paths. Understanding such patterns are critical for the development of realistic groundwater flow models, particularly in the Everglades, where restoration of hydrological conditions is intended. In this work, we used noninvasive ground penetrating radar (GPR) to estimate the spatial variability in porosity and the dielectric permittivity of the solid phase of the limestone at centimeter-scale resolution to evaluate the potential for field-based GPR studies. A laboratory setup that included high-frequency GPR measurements under completely unsaturated and saturated conditions was used to estimate changes in electromagnetic wave velocity through Miami Limestone samples. The Complex Refractive Index Model was used to derive estimates of porosity and dielectric permittivity of the solid phase of the limestone. Porosity estimates of the samples ranged between 45.2 and 66.0% and showed good correspondence with estimates of porosity using analytical and digital image techniques. Solid dielectric permittivity values ranged between 7.0 and 13.0. This study shows the ability of GPR to image the spatial variability of porosity and dielectric permittivity in the Miami Limestone and shows potential for expanding these results to larger scales and other karst aquifers.

Current and other data from meters attached to FIXED PLATFORMS in the coastal waters of Florida in support of the Subtropical Atlantic Climate Study 4 (STACS) from 1983-06-08 to 1983-12-13 (NODC Accession 8700019)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Current and other data from meters attached to FIXED PLATFORMS in the coastal waters of Florida. Data were collected by University of Miami; Rosenstiel School of...

Current and other data from meters attached to FIXED PLATFORMS in the coastal waters of Florida in support of the Subtropical Atlantic Climate Study 3 (STACS) from 1980-11-10 to 1983-06-07 (NODC Accession 8800120)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Current and other data from meters attached to FIXED PLATFORMS in the coastal waters of Florida. Data were collected by University of Miami; Rosenstiel School of...

Current and other data from meters attached to FIXED PLATFORMS in the coastal waters of Florida in support of the Subtropical Atlantic Climate Study 6 (STACS) from 1984-06-19 to 1987-03-27 (NODC Accession 8900060)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Current and other data from meters attached to FIXED PLATFORMS in the coastal waters of Florida. Data were collected by University of Miami; Rosenstiel School of...

How a south Florida hospital targeted Hispanic consumers.

Science.gov (United States)

Weinstein, A

1988-02-01

Last month's "Case in Point" presented AMI Parkway Regional Medical Center, a 412-bed acute care hospital in North Miami Beach, Fla. The hospital's administration has recognized the ethnic make-up of the South Florida market (white, black and Hispanic) and wants to increase its penetration into the large and potentially lucrative Latin market. The hospital is one of six in South Florida that are owned by American Medical International Inc., Los Angeles. Parkway recently completed a modernization and development program that resulted in an expanded emergency department, state-of-the-art critical care units, a cost-saving ambulatory unit and facilities for outpatient and community education programs. Positioned in a fiercely competitive market, Parkway has adopted an aggressive marketing posture. The marketing function has been elevated to one of six hospital divisions, sharing equal footing with finance, professional services, administrative services, nursing and human resources. Given the hospital's reputation for action and the previous success of programs based on market research, the assistant administrator for marketing and business development secured support for research on the Latin market.

Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti (Florida cottonmouth) Diet

Science.gov (United States)

Grajal-Puche, Alejandro; Josimovich, Jillian; Falk, Bryan; Reed, Robert

2016-01-01

Agkistrodon piscivorus is a generalist predator that feeds on a variety of prey, including snakes (Gloyd and Conant 1990. Snakes of the Agkistrodon Complex: A Monographic Review. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Oxford, Ohio. 614 pp.; Lillywhite et al. 2002. Herpetol. Rev. 33:259–260; Hill and Beaupre 2008. Copeia 2008:105–114). Cemophora coccinea (Scarletsnake) is not known as one of the 26 species of snakes consumed by A. piscivorus (Ernst and Ernst 2011. Venomous Reptiles of the United States, Canada, and Northern Mexico: Volume 1. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland. 193 pp.). On 16 June 2015, at 2210 h, we found a dead-on-road A. piscivorus (total length [TL] = 51.0 cm) in Everglades National Park on Main Park Road, 1.88 km S Pa-hay-okee, Miami-Dade Co., Florida, USA (25.414085°N, 80.78183146°W, WGS84; elev. 3 m). The snake had been killed by a vehicle and some internal organs were exposed. Visible stomach contents included a small (TL ca. 15 cm) C. coccinea. Photographic vouchers of the A. piscivorus (UF-Herpetology 177194) and C. coccinea (UF-Herpetology 177195) were deposited in the Division of Herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida. Despite the fact that these species are sympatric over large areas of the southeastern United States, this is the first known documented predation of C. coccinea by A. piscivorus.

Working with South Florida County Planners to Understand and Mitigate Uncertain Climate Risks

Science.gov (United States)

Knopman, D.; Groves, D. G.; Berg, N.

2017-12-01

This talk describes a novel approach for evaluating climate change vulnerabilities and adaptations in Southeast Florida to support long-term resilience planning. The work is unique in that it combines state-of-the-art hydrologic modeling with the region's long-term land use and transportation plans to better assess the future climate vulnerability and adaptations for the region. Addressing uncertainty in future projections is handled through the use of decisionmaking under deep uncertainty methods. Study findings, including analysis of key tradeoffs, were conveyed to the region's stakeholders through an innovative web-based decision support tool. This project leverages existing groundwater models spanning Miami-Dade and Broward Counties developed by the USGS, along with projections of land use and asset valuations for Miami-Dade and Broward County planning agencies. Model simulations are executed on virtual cloud-based servers for a highly scalable and parallelized platform. Groundwater elevations and the saltwater-freshwater interface and intrusion zones from the integrated modeling framework are analyzed under a wide range of long-term climate futures, including projected sea level rise and precipitation changes. The hydrologic hazards are then combined with current and future land use and asset valuation projections to estimate assets at risk across the range of futures. Lastly, an interactive decision support tool highlights the areas with critical climate vulnerabilities; distinguishes between vulnerability due to new development, increased climate hazards, or both; and provides guidance for adaptive management and development practices and decisionmaking in Southeast Florida.

78 FR 57061 - Special Local Regulation; Red Bull Flugtag Miami, Biscayne Bay; Miami, FL

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-17

... 13045, Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks. This rule is not an economically significant rule and does not create an environmental risk to health or risk to safety that may... Port Miami by telephone at (305) 535-4472, or a designated representative via VHF radio on channel 16...

Statistical analysis and mapping of water levels in the Biscayne aquifer, water conservation areas, and Everglades National Park, Miami-Dade County, Florida, 2000–2009

Science.gov (United States)

Prinos, Scott T.; Dixon, Joann F.

2016-02-25

Statistical analyses and maps representing mean, high, and low water-level conditions in the surface water and groundwater of Miami-Dade County were made by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Miami-Dade County Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources, to help inform decisions necessary for urban planning and development. Sixteen maps were created that show contours of (1) the mean of daily water levels at each site during October and May for the 2000–2009 water years; (2) the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles of the daily water levels at each site during October and May and for all months during 2000–2009; and (3) the differences between mean October and May water levels, as well as the differences in the percentiles of water levels for all months, between 1990–1999 and 2000–2009. The 80th, 90th, and 96th percentiles of the annual maximums of daily groundwater levels during 1974–2009 (a 35-year period) were computed to provide an indication of unusually high groundwater-level conditions. These maps and statistics provide a generalized understanding of the variations of water levels in the aquifer, rather than a survey of concurrent water levels. Water-level measurements from 473 sites in Miami-Dade County and surrounding counties were analyzed to generate statistical analyses. The monitored water levels included surface-water levels in canals and wetland areas and groundwater levels in the Biscayne aquifer.

77 FR 63720 - Special Local Regulations; 2012 Ironman 70.3 Miami, Biscayne Bay; Miami, FL

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-17

..., Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks. This rule is not an economically significant rule and would not create an environmental risk to health or risk to safety that might... remaining within the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Miami or a designated...

Responding to climate risks in South Florida: New tools for adaptive water management collaboration between researchers and practitioners.

Science.gov (United States)

Treuer, G.

2017-12-01

South Florida's vulnerability to sea level rise has brought attention and research funding to the region. Scientists have demonstrated that existing flood control, water supply, and water quality challenges will be made more difficult by sea level rise. Investing in adaptation and efficiency can help reduce the region's exposure to climate change threats. However, local governments and agencies struggle to act. Suggestions for further collaboration between practitioners and researchers are presented, drawing from the results of research on homeowner risk perception, water supply management, and sea level rise adaptive stormwater investments in the Miami area. Choice Flow, an online platform for creating immersive simulations that track decision making and information gathering, was used to help 348 South Florida homeowners experience 35 years (18 inches) of sea level rise in 20 minutes. It found that there is a window of opportunity for local governments to act. Over 70% of homeowners were willing to support higher taxes to pay for adaptation investments now and in the future. And while most were not worried enough about sea level rise now they became increasingly willing to move out of the region as sea levels rose. Simulations like this could enable cities like Miami Beach pre-test new technologies and policies, e.g. new building standards or stormwater technology, which help reduce flood risk but often inspire opposition from stakeholders who perceive them as a threat. Additionally, academic researchers can collaborate with practitioners to understand how policy transitions, necessary for adaptive water management, occur over time and across jurisdictions. A data-narrative of the recent shift towards sustainable water supply in Miami-Dade County, developed in consultation with utility staff, is presented as an example. It provides a basis for comparison with other communities and a tool for entrepreneurial practitioners to advocate for conservation as a means of

Household-level disparities in cancer risks from vehicular air pollution in Miami

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collins, Timothy W; Grineski, Sara E; Chakraborty, Jayajit

2015-01-01

Environmental justice (EJ) research has relied on ecological analyses of socio-demographic data from areal units to determine if particular populations are disproportionately burdened by toxic risks. This article advances quantitative EJ research by (a) examining whether statistical associations found for geographic units translate to relationships at the household level; (b) testing alternative explanations for distributional injustices never before investigated; and (c) applying a novel statistical technique appropriate for geographically-clustered data. Our study makes these advances by using generalized estimating equations to examine distributive environmental inequities in the Miami (Florida) metropolitan area, based on primary household-level survey data and census block-level cancer risk estimates of hazardous air pollutant (HAP) exposure from on-road mobile emission sources. In addition to modeling determinants of on-road HAP cancer risk among all survey participants, two subgroup models are estimated to examine whether determinants of risk differ based on disadvantaged minority (Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black) versus non-Hispanic white racial/ethnic status. Results reveal multiple determinants of risk exposure disparities. In the model including all survey participants, renter-occupancy, Hispanic and non-Hispanic black race/ethnicity, the desire to live close to work/urban services or public transportation, and higher risk perception are associated with greater on-road HAP cancer risk; the desire to live in an amenity-rich environment is associated with less risk. Divergent subgroup model results shed light on the previously unexamined role of racial/ethnic status in shaping determinants of risk exposures. While lower socioeconomic status and higher risk perception predict significantly greater on-road HAP cancer risk among disadvantaged minorities, the desire to live near work/urban services or public transport predict significantly greater risk among

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Norfolk General Hospital, Norfolk, VA, 5/08/2008) Prostate Cancer Robot Assisted Prostatectomy (Baptist Health South Florida, Miami, ... Coral Springs, Coral Springs, FL, 3/31/2014) Prostate Cancer Robot Assisted Prostatectomy (Baptist Health South Florida, Miami, ...

Results of time-domain electromagnetic soundings in Miami-Dade and southern Broward Counties, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Fitterman, David V.; Prinos, Scott T.

2011-01-01

Time-domain electromagnetic (TEM) soundings were made in Miami-Dade and southern Broward Counties to aid in mapping the landward extent of saltwater in the Biscayne aquifer. A total of 79 soundings were collected in settings ranging from urban to undeveloped land, with some of the former posing problems of land access and interference from anthropogenic features. TEM soundings combined with monitoring-well data were used to determine if the saltwater front had moved since the last time it was mapped, to provide additional spatial coverage where existing monitoring wells were insufficient, and to help interpret a previously collected helicopter electromagnetic (HEM) survey flown in the southernmost portion of the study area. TEM soundings were interpreted as layered resistivity-depth models. Using information from well logs and water-quality data, the resistivity of the freshwater saturated Biscayne aquifer is expected to be above 30 ohm-meters, and the saltwater-saturated aquifer will have resistivities of less than 10 ohm-meters allowing determination of water quality from the TEM interpretations. TEM models from 29 soundings were compared to electromagnetic induction logs collected in nearby monitoring wells. In general, the agreement of these results was very good, giving confidence in the use of the TEM data for mapping saltwater encroachment.

Miami, FL I-95 express lanes.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

The Miami-Ft. Lauderdale region is creating a 22-mile managed-lane facility, : including HOT lanes on I-95, between I-395 and I-595, with a longer term goal of : providing a network of managed lanes throughout the congested region. Freeflowing : cond...

A Cultural Perspective on Sexual Health: HIV Positive and Negative Monolingual Hispanic Women in South Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Villar-Loubet, Olga M; Vamos, Szonja; Jones, Deborah L; Lopez, Eliot; Weiss, Stephen M

2011-06-01

This study explored feelings and attitudes with regard to HIV and sexual health among 82 monolingual Spanish-speaking, HIV-positive ( n = 30) and at-risk women ( n = 52), participating in the NOW en Español Project-a cognitive behavioral sexual risk-reduction intervention in Miami, Florida. Hispanic cultural values and beliefs, such as machismo, marianismo, and sexual silence, emerged throughout the intervention as important determinants of sexual behavior. Recommendations for integrating these culture-specific issues in sexual health interventions for Hispanic women are provided.

Relations between well-field pumping and induced canal leakage in east-central Miami-Dade County, Florida, 2010-2011

Science.gov (United States)

Nemec, Katherine; Antolino, Dominick J.; Turtora, Michael; Adam Foster,

2015-08-26

An extensive canal and water management system exists in south Florida to prevent flooding, replenish groundwater, and impede saltwater intrusion. The unconfined Biscayne aquifer, which underlies southeast Florida and provides water for millions of residents, interacts with the canal system. The Biscayne aquifer is composed of a highly transmissive karst limestone; therefore, canal stage and flow may be affected by production well pumping, especially in locations where production wells and canals are in proximity.

Map of the approximate inland extent of saltwater at the base of the Biscayne aquifer in the Model Land Area of Miami-Dade County, Florida, 2016

Science.gov (United States)

Prinos, Scott T.

2017-07-11

The inland extent of saltwater at the base of the Biscayne aquifer in the Model Land Area of Miami-Dade County, Florida, was mapped in 2011. Since that time, the saltwater interface has continued to move inland. The interface is near several active well fields; therefore, an updated approximation of the inland extent of saltwater and an improved understanding of the rate of movement of the saltwater interface are necessary. A geographic information system was used to create a map using the data collected by the organizations that monitor water salinity in this area. An average rate of saltwater interface movement of 140 meters per year was estimated by dividing the distance between two monitoring wells (TPGW-7L and Sec34-MW-02-FS) by the travel time. The travel time was determined by estimating the dates of arrival of the saltwater interface at the wells and computing the difference. This estimate assumes that the interface is traveling east to west between the two monitoring wells. Although monitoring is spatially limited in this area and some of the wells are not ideally designed for salinity monitoring, the monitoring network in this area is improving in spatial distribution and most of the new wells are well designed for salinity monitoring. The approximation of the inland extent of the saltwater interface and the estimated rate of movement of the interface are dependent on existing data. Improved estimates could be obtained by installing uniformly designed monitoring wells in systematic transects extending landward of the advancing saltwater interface.

The economic impact of vocal attrition in public school teachers in Miami-Dade County.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosow, David E; Szczupak, Mikhaylo; Saint-Victor, Sandra; Gerhard, Julia D; DuPont, Carl; Lo, Kaming

2016-03-01

Teachers are a known at-risk population for voice disorders. The prevalence and risk factors for voice disorders have been well studied in this population, but little is known about the associated economic cost. The purpose of this study is to assess the economic impact of voice dysfunction in teachers and understand the difference between the cost of absenteeism and presenteeism as a direct result of voice dysfunction. Cross-sectional analysis via self-administered online questionnaire. A total of 14,256 public school teachers from Miami-Dade County, Florida, were asked to participate. Questions were formatted based on the previously validated Work Productivity and Activity Impairment: Specific Health Problem questionnaire adapted for hoarseness and voice disorders. Additional demographic questions were included in the questionnaire. A total of 961 questionnaire responses were received. The demographic characteristics of respondents closely matched known statistics for public school teachers in Miami-Dade County. Economic calculations were performed for each questionnaire respondent and summed for all respondents to avoid bias. Per week, absenteeism-related costs were $25,000, whereas presenteeism-related costs were approximately $300,000. These figures were used to extrapolate annual cost. Per year, absenteeism-related costs were $1 million, whereas presenteeism-related costs were approximately $12 million. The economic impact of voice dysfunction on the teaching profession is enormous. With the above calculations only including lost wages and decreased productivity, the actual figures may in fact be larger (cost of substitute teachers, impact on nonwork activities, etc.). Research investigating preventative measures for voice dysfunction in teachers is necessary to reduce this costly issue. 2C. Laryngoscope, 126:665-671, 2016. © 2015 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Sediment Plumes Resulting from the Port of Miami Dredging: Analysis and Interpretation Using Satellite Data and Long Term Monitoring Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Barnes, B. B.; Hu, C.; Kovach, C.; Silverstein, R. N.

2016-02-01

From November 2013 through mid-2015, large turbidity plumes were observed offshore the Port of Miami (Florida, USA), likely associated with a project to deepen and widen the Miami Harbor channels. Using data from local monitoring programs, however, it is difficult to estimate the size, duration, extent, and severity (relative to natural turbidity events) of these plumes. In contrast, satellite observing systems offer a platform from which these plumes can be monitored and placed in historical context. As such, turbidity plumes captured by MODIS (Aqua) and Landsat 8 reflectance data were manually outlined. For MODIS, these delineations were refined using reflectance anomaly thresholds, determined from pre-dredging data. Long term records of local environmental conditions were used to account for conditions (e.g., wind speed, tidal stage) for which elevated reflectance data might be expected in the absence of dredging. The spatial extent of turbidity plumes observed in the Port of Miami region during the dredging period ranged from 127 and 228 km2, at least 5 times that immediately prior to dredging. The frequency of observed plumes in satellite imagery increased from 23% to 84% after dredging began, while temporal differences in plume location, severity, and size were also observed. Turbidity plumes may have large adverse effects on coral communities, and this region is home to many species of coral (including some considered threatened by the US Endangered Species Act). Indeed, over 11 km2 of coral area was affected by these plumes, with some locations within plume delineations on nearly 40% of images. The approaches developed in this work, in particular the focus on historical norms after considering all perturbation factors, may be included in monitoring and assessment of this and future dredging activities, especially where fragile marine ecosystems may potentially be impacted.

Sources of plutonium to the great Miami River

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartelt, G.E.; Kennedy, C.W.; Bobula, C.M. III.

1978-01-01

Progress is reported in the study of 238 Pu, in the Great Miami River watershed the contribution of various sources to the total 238 Pu transported by the river. Periodic discharges of industrial wastewater from Mound Laboratory from 1973 to 1975 have released approximately 20 mCi of 238 Pu each year to the Great Miami River. Changes in the wastewater treatment system in 1976 have reduced the annual discharge to less than 3 mCi/year. However, despite this sevenfold reduction of plutonium in the wastewater discharge, the annual flux of 238 Pu down the river has remained relatively constant and is approximately 10 times greater than can be accounted for by the reported effluent discharges. Therefore, other sources of the 238 Pu in the Great Miami River exist. A second possible source of plutonium is the resuspension of sediments enriched by earlier waste water releases and deposited in the river. However, since there appear to be few areas where large accumulations of sediment could occur, it seems improbable that resuspension of earlier sediment deposits would continue to be a significant contributor to the annual flux of plutonium. A much more likely source is the continuing erosion of soil from a canal and stream system contaminated with approx. 5 Ci of 238 Pu, 7 which connects directly to the river 6.9 km upstream from Franklin. Results from samples analyzed in 1978 show the average concentration of 238 Pu in suspended sediments from the canal to be approximately 10 3 times greater than suspended sediment concentrations in the river and waste water effluent.Thus the main contributor to the total amount of plutonium transported by the Great Miami River appears to be highly enriched sediment from the canal, which is eroded into the river where it is then diluted by uncontaminated sediments

Seismic-Reflection Technology Defines Potential Vertical Bypass in Hydrogeologic Confinement within Tertiary Carbonates of the Southeastern Florida Platform

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, K. J.; Walker, C.; Westcott, R. L.

2011-12-01

Continuous improvements in shallow-focused, high-resolution, marine seismic-reflection technology has provided the opportunity to evaluate geologic structures that breach confining units of the Floridan aquifer system within the southeastern Florida Platform. The Floridan aquifer system is comprised mostly of Tertiary platform carbonates. In southeastern Florida, hydrogeologic confinement is important to sustainable use of the Floridan aquifer system, where the saline lower part is used for injection of wastewater and the brackish upper part is an alternative source of drinking water. Between 2007 and 2011, approximately 275 km of 24- and 48-channel seismic-reflection profiles were acquired in canals of peninsular southeastern Florida, Biscayne Bay, present-day Florida shelf margin, and the deeply submerged Miami Terrace. Vertical to steeply dipping offsets in seismic reflections indicate faults, which range from Eocene to possible early Pliocene age. Most faults are associated with karst collapse structures; however, a few tectonic faults of early Miocene to early Pliocene age are present. The faults may serve as a pathway for vertical groundwater flow across relatively low-permeability carbonate strata that separate zones of regionally extensive high-permeability in the Floridan aquifer system. The faults may collectively produce a regional confinement bypass system. In early 2011, twenty seismic-reflection profiles were acquired near the Key Biscayne submarine sinkhole located on the seafloor of the Miami Terrace. Here the water depth is about 365 m. A steeply dipping (eastward) zone of mostly deteriorated quality of seismic-reflection data underlies the sinkhole. Correlation of coherent seismic reflections within and adjacent to the disturbed zone indicates a series of faults occur within the zone. It is hypothesized that upward movement of groundwater within the zone contributed to development of a hypogenic karst system and the resultant overlying sinkhole

76 FR 24837 - Regulated Navigation Area; Columbus Day Weekend, Biscayne Bay, Miami, FL

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-03

.... Steiner, Sector Miami Prevention Department, Coast Guard; telephone 305-535-8724, e-mail Paul.A.Steiner... questions concerning its provisions or options for compliance, please contact Lieutenant Paul A. Steiner, Sector Miami Prevention Department, Coast Guard; telephone 305-535- 8724, e-mail Paul.A.Steiner@uscg.mil...

Science Support for Climate Change Adaptation in South Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Early, Laura M.; Harvey, Rebecca G.

2010-01-01

Earth's changing climate is among the foremost conservation challenges of the 21st century, threatening to permanently alter entire ecosystems and contribute to extinctions of species. Lying only a few feet above sea level and already suffering effects of anthropogenic stressors, south Florida's ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to negative impacts of climate change. Recent research accounting for the gravitational effects of melting ice sheets predicts that sea level rise on U.S. coastlines will be much higher than global averages (Gomez et al. 2010), and the Miami-Dade Climate Change Advisory Task Force predicts that local sea level rise will be at least 3 to 5 ft. (0.9 m to 1.5 m) by 2100 (MDCCATF 2008). In a 5 ft. scenario, up to 873 additional square miles of the Everglades would be inundated with saltwater (see maps below). Accelerated sea level rise is likely to be accompanied by increasing temperatures (IPCC 2007a) and more intense tropical storms and hurricanes (Webster et al. 2005). In addition, changes in amount, timing, and distribution of rainfall in south Florida may lead to more severe droughts and floods (SFWMD 2009).

A narrative method for analyzing transitions in urban water management: The case of the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department

Science.gov (United States)

Treuer, Galen; Koebele, Elizabeth; Deslatte, Aaron; Ernst, Kathleen; Garcia, Margaret; Manago, Kim

2017-01-01

Although the water management sector is often characterized as resistant to risk and change, urban areas across the United States are increasingly interested in creating opportunities to transition toward more sustainable water management practices. These transitions are complex and difficult to predict - the product of water managers acting in response to numerous biophysical, regulatory, political, and financial factors within institutional constraints. Gaining a better understanding of how these transitions occur is crucial for continuing to improve water management. This paper presents a replicable methodology for analyzing how urban water utilities transition toward sustainability. The method combines standardized quantitative measures of variables that influence transitions with contextual qualitative information about a utility's unique decision making context to produce structured, data-driven narratives. Data-narratives document the broader context, the utility's pretransition history, key events during an accelerated period of change, and the consequences of transition. Eventually, these narratives should be compared across cases to develop empirically-testable hypotheses about the drivers of and barriers to utility-level urban water management transition. The methodology is illustrated through the case of the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD) in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and its transition toward more sustainable water management in the 2000s, during which per capita water use declined, conservation measures were enacted, water rates increased, and climate adaptive planning became the new norm.

Economic impacts of urban flooding in South Florida: Potential consequences of managing groundwater to prevent salt water intrusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Czajkowski, Jeffrey; Engel, Vic; Martinez, Chris; Mirchi, Ali; Watkins, David; Sukop, Michael C; Hughes, Joseph D

2018-04-15

High-value urban zones in coastal South Florida are considered particularly vulnerable to salt water intrusion into the groundwater-based, public water supplies caused by sea level rise (SLR) in combination with the low topography, existing high water table, and permeable karst substrate. Managers in the region closely regulate water depths in the extensive South Florida canal network to control closely coupled groundwater levels and thereby reduce the risk of saltwater intrusion into the karst aquifer. Potential SLR adaptation strategies developed by local managers suggest canal and groundwater levels may have to be increased over time to prevent the increased salt water intrusion risk to groundwater resources. However, higher canal and groundwater levels cause the loss of unsaturated zone storage and lead to an increased risk of inland flooding when the recharge from rainfall exceeds the capacity of the unsaturated zone to absorb it and the water table reaches the surface. Consequently, higher canal and groundwater levels are also associated with increased risk of economic losses, especially during the annual wet seasons. To help water managers and urban planners in this region better understand this trade-off, this study models the relationships between flood insurance claims and groundwater levels in Miami-Dade County. Via regression analyses, we relate the incurred number of monthly flood claims in 16 Miami-Dade County watersheds to monthly groundwater levels over the period from 1996 to 2010. We utilize these estimated statistical relationships to further illustrate various monthly flood loss scenarios that could plausibly result, thereby providing an economic quantification of a "too much water" trade-off. Importantly, this understanding is the first of its kind in South Florida and is exceedingly useful for regional-scale hydro-economic optimization models analyzing trade-offs associated with high water levels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights

Environmental injustice and flood risk: A conceptual model and case comparison of metropolitan Miami and Houston, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Timothy W; Grineski, Sara E; Chakraborty, Jayajit

2018-02-01

This article outlines a conceptual model and comparatively applies it to results from environmental justice (EJ) studies of flood risk in the Miami, Florida, and Houston, Texas, metropolitan areas. In contrast to most EJ studies of air pollution, which have found that socially-vulnerable groups experience disproportionate risk, distributive EJ studies of flooding reveal inconsistent findings regarding the relationship between social vulnerability and flood exposure. Counterintuitively (from a conventional EJ perspective), some pre-flood EJ studies have found that socially-advantaged people experience the highest residential exposure to flood risks. To integrate those anomalous findings within an EJ perspective, our conceptual model focuses on (1) the differential capacities of social groups to deploy/access protective resources for reducing the threat of loss, even while they reside amid flood-prone environments, and (2) both flood hazards and water-based benefits. Application of this model in Miami reveals that environmental injustices materialize as socially-privileged groups expose themselves to residential flood risks by seeking coastal amenities, as the costs of mitigating risks are conveyed to the broader public; in the process, socially-vulnerable residents are relegated to areas with air pollution and/or inland flood risks, where they experience constrained access to protective resources and coastal amenities. Findings from Houston better align with conventional EJ expectations-with flood zones disproportionately inhabited by socially-vulnerable people-because many coastal lands there are used by petrochemical industries, which produce major residential-environmental disamenities . Results underscore the need to consider protective resources and locational benefits in future empirical research on the EJ implications of flood hazards.

78 FR 22363 - Environmental Impact Statement for the All Aboard Florida Miami-Orlando Passenger Rail Project

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-15

... need and demand for safe, convenient, and reliable transportation through the development of a... objectives concerning the environment. AAF is a subsidiary of Florida East Coast Industries, Inc. (FECI... freight service. AAF is working to secure access to use the right-of- way of State Road 528 between Cocoa...

Coexistence of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Peninsular Florida Two Decades After Competitive Displacements.

Science.gov (United States)

Lounibos, L Philip; Bargielowski, Irka; Carrasquilla, María Cristina; Nishimura, Naoya

2016-11-01

The spread of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) eastward in the mid-1980s from its initial establishment in Houston, TX, was associated with rapid declines and local disappearances of Aedes aegypti (L.) in Gulf Coast states and Florida where annual larval surveillance during the early 1990s described temporal and spatial patterns of competitive displacements in cemeteries and tire shops. Approximately 20 yr later in 2013-2014, we re-visited former collection sites and sampled aquatic immatures of these two species from tire shops in 10 cities on State Route 441 and from 9 cemeteries from Lakeland to Miami in southwest Florida. In the recent samples Ae. aegypti was recovered from three central Florida cities where it had not been detected in 1994, but its northern limit on Rte. 441, Apopka, did not change. Other evidence, such as trends at a few cemeteries, suggested a moderate resurgence of this species since 1994. Cage experiments that exposed female progeny of Ae. aegypti from recent Florida collection sites to interspecific mating by Ae. albopictus males showed that females from coexistence sites had evolved resistance to cross-mating, but Ae. aegypti from sites with no Ae. albopictus were relatively susceptible to satyrization. Habitat classifications of collection sites were reduced by principal component (PC) analysis to four variables that accounted for > 99% of variances; PCs with strong positive loadings for tree cover and ground vegetation were associated with collection sites yielding only Ae. albopictus Within the coexistence range of the two species, the numbers of Ae. aegypti among total Aedes collected were strongly correlated in stepwise logistic regression models with two habitat-derived PCs, distance from the coast, and annual rainfall and mean maximum temperatures at the nearest weather station. Subtle increases in the range of Ae. aegypti since its previous displacements are interpreted in the context of the evolution of resistance to mating

High temporal resolution modeling of the impact of rain, tides, and sea level rise on water table flooding in the Arch Creek basin, Miami-Dade County Florida USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Sukop, Michael C; Rogers, Martina; Guannel, Greg; Infanti, Johnna M; Hagemann, Katherine

2018-03-01

Modeling of groundwater levels in a portion of the low-lying coastal Arch Creek basin in northern Miami-Dade County in Southeast Florida USA, which is subject to repetitive flooding, reveals that rain-induced short-term water table rises can be viewed as a primary driver of flooding events under current conditions. Areas below 0.9m North American Vertical Datum (NAVD) elevation are particularly vulnerable and areas below 1.5m NAVD are vulnerable to exceptionally large rainfall events. Long-term water table rise is evident in the groundwater data, and the rate appears to be consistent with local rates of sea level rise. Linear extrapolation of long-term observed groundwater levels to 2060 suggest roughly a doubling of the number of days when groundwater levels exceed 0.9m NAVD and a threefold increase in the number of days when levels exceed 1.5m NAVD. Projected sea level rise of 0.61m by 2060 together with increased rainfall lead to a model prediction of frequent groundwater-related flooding in areas1.5m NAVD and widespread flooding of the area in the past. Tidal fluctuations in the water table are predicted to be more pronounced within 600m of a tidally influenced water control structure that is hydrodynamically connected to Biscayne Bay. The inland influence of tidal fluctuations appears to increase with increased sea level, but the principal driver of high groundwater levels under the 2060 scenario conditions remains groundwater recharge due to rainfall events. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stability of plutonium contaminated sediments in the Miami--Erie Canal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farmer, B.M.; Carfagno, D.G.

1978-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the stability of plutonium-contaminated sediment in the Miami-Erie Canal. Correlations were sought to relate concentrations at air sampling stations to plutonium-238 concentrations in air and stack emissions, wind direction, particulate loading, rainfall, and construction activities. There appears to be some impact on airborne concentrations at air sampling stations 122 and 123 from the contaminated sediment in the canal and ponds area. For purposes of this evaluation, it was assumed that the plutonium-238 found in the air samples came from the contaminated sediment in the canal/ponds area. To complete the evaluation of the inhalation pathway, dose calculations were performed using actual airborne concentrations of plutonium-238 measured at sampler 123. The dose equivalent to an individual in that area was calculated for 1 yr and 70 yr. Dose calculations were also performed on potential uptake of contaminated vegetation from that area for 1 yr and 70 yr. This study indicates that, although the contaminated sediments in the canal and pond area appear to contribute to airborne plutonium-238, the observed maximum monthly concentration of plutonium-238 in air is a small fraction of the DOE Radioactivity Concentration Guide (RCG) and the nine-month average concentration of plutonium-238 in air observed thus far during 1977 is less than 1% of the RCG. Dose equivalents, conservatively calculated from these actual data, are well within existing DOE standards and proposed EPA guidance

U.S. Department of Energy University Reactor Sharing Program at the University of Florida. Final report for period August 15, 2000 - May 31, 2001

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vernetson, William G.

2002-01-01

Department of Energy Grant Number DE-FG02-96NE38152 was supplied to the University of Florida Training Reactor (UFTR) facility through the U.S. Department of Energy's University Reactor Sharing Program. The renewal proposal submitted in January 2000 originally requested over $73,000 to support various external educational institutions using the UFTR facilities in academic year 2000-01. The actual Reactor Sharing Grant was only in the amount of $40,000, all of which has been well used by the University of Florida as host institution to support various educational institutions in the use of our reactor and associated facilities as indicated in the proposal. These various educational institutions are located primarily within the State of Florida. However, when the 600-mile distance from Pensacola to Miami is considered, it is obvious that this Grant provides access to reactor utilization for a broad geographical region and a diverse set of user institutions serving over fourteen million inhabitants throughout the State of Florida and still others throughout the Southeast.

H2O2 levels in rainwater collected in south Florida and the Bahama Islands

Science.gov (United States)

Zika, R.; Saltzman, E.; Chameides, W. L.; Davis, D. D.

1982-01-01

Measurements of H2O2 in rainwater collected in Miami, Florida, and the Bahama Islands area indicate the presence of H2O2 concentration levels ranging from 100,000 to 700,000 M. No systematic trends in H2O2 concentration were observed during an individual storm, in marked contrast to the behavior of other anions for example, NO3(-), SO4(-2), and Cl(-). The data suggest that a substantial fraction of the H2O2 found in precipitation is generated by aqueous-phase reactions within the cloudwater rather than via rainout and washout of gaseous H2O2.

Growing Community Roots for the Geosciences in Miami, Florida, A Program Aimed at High School and Middle School Students to Increase Awareness of Career and Educational Opportunities in the Geosciences

Science.gov (United States)

Whitman, D.; Hickey-Vargas, R.; Gebelein, J.; Draper, G.; Rego, R.

2013-12-01

Growing Community Roots for the Geosciences is a 2-year pilot recruitment project run by the Department of Earth and Environment at Florida International University (FIU) and funded by the NSF OEDG (Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences) program. FIU, the State University of Florida in Miami is a federally recognized Minority Serving Institution with over 70% of the undergraduate population coming from groups underrepresented in the geoscience workforce. The goal of this project is to inform students enrolled in the local middle and high schools to career opportunities in the geosciences and to promote pathways for underrepresented groups to university geoscience degree programs. The first year's program included a 1-week workshop for middle school teachers and a 2-week summer camp aimed at high school students in the public school system. The teacher workshop was attended by 20 teachers who taught comprehensive and physical science in grades 6-8. It included lectures on geoscience careers, fundamental concepts of solid earth and atmospheric science, hands on exercises with earth materials, fossils and microscopy, interpretation of landform with Google Earth imagery, and a field trip to a local working limestone quarry. On the first day of the workshop, participants were surveyed on their general educational background in science and their familiarity and comfort with teaching basic geoscience concepts. On the final day, the teachers participated in a group discussion where we discussed how to make geoscience topics and careers more visible in the school curriculum. The 2-week summer camp was attended by 21 students entering grades 9-12. The program included hands on exercises on geoscience and GIS concepts, field trips to local barrier islands, the Everglades, a limestone quarry and a waste to energy facility, and tours of the NOAA National Hurricane Center and the FIU SEM lab. Participants were surveyed on their general educational background

Rethinking suburbia: a case study of metropolitan Miami

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nijman, J.; Clery, T.

2015-01-01

Greater Miami makes an interesting case study of suburbanization because of its recent history, the geographic limits of urban expansion, and its profound ethnic makeover at the time that postwar suburbanization peaked in North America. The city-suburb distinction here does not correspond to

MIAMI cells embedded within a biologically-inspired construct promote recovery in a mouse model of peripheral vascular disease

Science.gov (United States)

Grau-Monge, Cristina; Delcroix, Gaëtan J.-R; Bonnin-Marquez, Andrea; Valdes, Mike; Awadallah, Ead Lewis Mazen; Quevedo, Daniel F.; Armour, Maxime R.; Montero, Ramon B.; Schiller, Paul C.; Andreopoulos, Fotios M.; D’Ippolito, Gianluca

2017-01-01

Peripheral vascular disease is one of the major vascular complications in individuals suffering from diabetes and in the elderly that is associated with significant burden in terms of morbidity and mortality. Stem cell therapy is being tested as an attractive alternative to traditional surgery to prevent and treat this disorder. The goal of this study was to enhance the protective and reparative potential of marrow-isolated adult multilineage inducible (MIAMI) cells by incorporating them within a bio-inspired construct (BIC) made of 2 layers of gelatin B electrospun nanofibers. We hypothesized that the BIC would enhance MIAMI cell survival and engraftment, ultimately leading to a better functional recovery of the injured limb in our mouse model of critical limb ischemia compared to MIAMI cells used alone. Our study demonstrated that MIAMI cell-seeded BIC resulted in a wide range of positive outcomes with an almost full recovery of blood flow in the injured limb, thereby limiting the extent of ischemia and necrosis. Functional recovery was also the greatest when MIAMI cells were combined with BICs, compared to MIAMI cells alone or BICs in the absence of cells. Histology was performed 28 days after grafting the animals to explore the mechanisms at the source of these positive outcomes. We observed that our critical limb ischemia model induces an extensive loss of muscular fibers that are replaced by intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT), together with a highly disorganized vascular structure. The use of MIAMI cells-seeded BIC prevented IMAT infiltration with some clear evidence of muscular fibers regeneration. PMID:28211362

High Resolution ground penetrating radar (GPR) measurements at the laboratory scale to model porosity and permeability in the Miami Limestone in South Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Mount, G. J.; Comas, X.

2015-12-01

Subsurface water flow within the Biscayne aquifer is controlled by the heterogeneous distribution of porosity and permeability in the karst Miami Limestone and the presence of numerous dissolution and mega-porous features. The dissolution features and other high porosity areas can create preferential flow paths and direct recharge to the aquifer, which may not be accurately conceptualized in groundwater flow models. As hydrologic conditions are undergoing restoration in the Everglades, understanding the distribution of these high porosity areas within the subsurface would create a better understanding of subsurface flow. This research utilizes ground penetrating radar to estimate the spatial variability of porosity and dielectric permittivity of the Miami Limestone at centimeter scale resolution at the laboratory scale. High frequency GPR antennas were used to measure changes in electromagnetic wave velocity through limestone samples under varying volumetric water contents. The Complex Refractive Index Model (CRIM) was then applied in order to estimate porosity and dielectric permittivity of the solid phase of the limestone. Porosity estimates ranged from 45.2-66.0% from the CRIM model and correspond well with estimates of porosity from analytical and digital image techniques. Dielectric permittivity values of the limestone solid phase ranged from 7.0 and 13.0, which are similar to values in the literature. This research demonstrates the ability of GPR to identify the cm scale spatial variability of aquifer properties that influence subsurface water flow which could have implications for groundwater flow models in the Biscayne and potentially other shallow karst aquifers.

ETHNICITY-BASED RELIGIOSITY: Multi-Faceted Islam in Miami, USA, in the Age of War on Terrorism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Muttaqin

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Minoritas Muslim seringkali menunjukkan perilaku yang ambigu. Satu sisi mereka mendambakan pengakuan dan perlakukan yang tidak diskriminatif dari kalangan mayoritas-non Muslim, namun di sisi lain ada “keengganan” untuk berbaur dengan kelompok mayoritas. Tulisan ini menguraikan dua tipe minoritas Muslim di Miami, Florida, Amerika Serikat, Muslim imigran dan Muslim kelahiran Amerika, serta menjelaskan berbagai faktor keengganan mereka dalam berbaur dengan mayoritas non Muslim. Di antara faktor keengganan tersebut adalah kesulitan mereka mencari rujukan ajaran Islam yang melegitimitasi “etika proaktif ” minoritas terhadap mayoritas, segmentasi etnis, kebangsaan dan faham keagamaan minoritas Muslim, serta beban psikis mereka yang merasa belum sepenuhnya menjadi warga negara Amerika Serikat. Dibandingkan kaum Muslim imigran yang sebagian besar berasal dari Timur Tengah dan Pakistan, kaum Muslim keturunan Afrika yang lahir di Amerika cenderung lebih terbuka dan aktif berbaur dengan kelompok mayoritas non-Muslim. Sikap ini ternyata berkorelasi positif dengan perlakukan yang mereka peroleh pasca tragedy 9/11. Kelompok pertama merasa selalu menjadi target operasi anti teror pemerintah Amerika, sedangkan kelompok kedua justru menekankan bahwa mereka adalah korban dari terorisme tersebut.

Death in Miami: AIDS, Gender, and Representation.

Science.gov (United States)

Braddlee

In "God's Work," an episode of the "Miami Vice" television series in which a gay character comes home to reunite with a childhood friend and ex-lover who is dying of AIDS, the show is at odds with itself over the issue of sexuality and AIDS. At one level, that of the "coming-out" story of the main character, it…

77 FR 43048 - Foreign-Trade Zone 32-Miami, FL; Application for Reorganization Under Alternative Site Framework

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-23

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Foreign-Trade Zones Board [B-51-2012] Foreign-Trade Zone 32--Miami, FL... Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) Board (the Board) by the Greater Miami Foreign-Trade Zone, Inc., grantee of FTZ 32, requesting authority to reorganize the zone under the alternative site framework (ASF) adopted by...

Origins and delineation of saltwater intrusion in the Biscayne aquifer and changes in the distribution of saltwater in Miami-Dade County, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Prinos, Scott T.; Wacker, Michael A.; Cunningham, Kevin J.; Fitterman, David V.

2014-01-01

salinities ranging from 1.4 to 32 practical salinity units (PSU) upstream of the salinity control structures. Time-series electromagnetic induction log data from monitoring wells G–3601, G–3608, and G–3701, located adjacent to the Biscayne, Snapper Creek, and Black Creek Canals, respectively, and upstream of the salinity control structures, indicated shallow influxes of conductive water in the aquifer that likely resulted from leakage of brackish water or saltwater from these canals. The determination that saltwater influxes were recent is supported by the similarity in the oxygen and hydrogen stable isotope composition in samples from the Snapper Creek Canal, 1.6 kilometers (km) inland of a salinity control structure, and in samples from well G–3608, which is adjacent to the canal, as well as by the relative ages of the water sampled from well G–3608 and other wells open to the aquifer below the saltwater interface. Historical and recent salinity information from the Card Sound Road Canal, monitoring well FKS8 located adjacent to the canal, and the 2001 helicopter electromagnetic survey indicated that saltwater may occasionally leak from this canal as far inland as 15 km. This leakage may be prevented or reduced by a salinity control structure that was installed in May 2010. Saltwater also may have leaked from the Princeton Canal. Results of geochemical sampling and analysis indicate a close correspondence between droughts and saltwater intrusion. Tritium/helium-3 apparent (piston-flow) ages determined from samples of saltwater with chloride concentrations of about 1,000 milligrams per liter (mg/L) or greater generally corresponded to a period during which droughts were frequent. Comparison of average daily air temperatures in Miami, Florida, with estimates of recharge temperatures determined from the dissolved gas composition in water samples indicated that saltwater likely entered the aquifer in April or early May when water levels are typically at their lowest

The Use of Utility Accounting Software at Miami University.

Science.gov (United States)

Wenner, Paul

1999-01-01

Describes how Miami University successfully developed an accounting software package that tracked and recorded their utility usage, including examples of its graphics and reporting components. Background information examining the decision to pursue an energy management software package is included. (GR)

Outbreak bias in illness reporting and case confirmation in ciguatera fish poisoning surveillance in south Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Begier, Elizabeth M; Backer, Lorraine C; Weisman, Richard S; Hammond, Roberta M; Fleming, Lora E; Blythe, Donna

2006-01-01

Ciguatera fish poisoning is a potentially life-threatening disease caused by eating coral reef fish contaminated with ciguatoxins and is the most common marine poisoning. However, existing surveillance systems capture few cases. To improve regional ciguatera surveillance in South Florida, this study compared ciguatera illnesses in the Florida Poison Information Center-Miami (FPICM) call database to ciguatera cases in the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) disease surveillance systems. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify predictors of when FPICM reported ciguatera illnesses to FDOH and whether FDOH confirmed reported ciguatera cases. FPICM staff preferentially reported ciguatera illnesses that were of shorter duration (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.84 per additional illness day; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.74, 0.97); outbreak-associated (AOR = 7.0; 95% CI 2.5, 19.5); and clinically more severe (AOR = 21.6; 95% CI 2.3, 198.5). Among ciguatera illnesses reported to FDOH, outbreak-associated illnesses were more likely than single, sporadic illnesses to become confirmed surveillance cases (crude OR = 11.1; 95% CI 2.0, 62.5). The over-representation of outbreak-associated ciguatera cases underestimates the true contribution of sporadic illnesses to ciguatera disease burden. This bias should be considered when evaluating surveillance systems that include both outbreak-associated and sporadic illness reports.

Electrofishing survey of the Great Miami River

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stocker, L.E.; Miller, M.C.; Engman, J.; Evans, R.L.; Koch, R.W.; Brence, W.A.

1994-01-01

Fish sampling by electroshocking in the Great Miami River above and below the Fernald sit was designed to determine changes in the health of the fish community compared to the previous nine years and to collect samples for uranium analysis in fish filets. This document contains information describing the findings of this program. Topics discussed include: physical and chemical parameters, species richness, species diversity, and water analysis

A profile of Latinos with poorly controlled diabetes in South Florida

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonjia Kenya

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Latinos are the largest minority group in the United States and diabetes or pre-diabetes affects more than 70% of Latinos aged 45 years and older. Miami-Dade County is home to one of the highest populations of diverse Latinos. In this descriptive manuscript, we present baseline characteristics of participants enrolled in the Miami Healthy Heart Initiative (MHHI. This was a study conducted to determine the effects of a community health worker (CHW intervention among Latinos with poorly controlled diabetes in South Florida. Methods: We recruited 300 diverse Latino adults with suboptimal diabetes outcomes (HbA1c≥8 into MHHI. This randomized control trial examined the impact of a 1-year CHW-led intervention on glycemic control, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. At baseline, physiologic measures, including HbA1c, LDL, blood pressure, and BMI, were assessed. Data on socio-demographic characteristics and additional determinants of health such as depression status, provider communication, diet, exercise, cigarette smoking, readiness to change diabetes management behaviors (stages of change, and confidence in ability to improve diabetes self-care (self-efficacy were collected. Results: Participants came from 20 different countries, with Cuban Americans representing 38% of the sample. Most had lived in the US for more than 10 years, had completed at least 12 years of school, and had high levels of health literacy, yet 48% had very low acculturation. Nearly 80% had poor self-efficacy, 80% met the criteria for depression, and 83% were not adherent to their medications. More than half the population was not at their target for blood pressure, 50% were above the recommended LDL goal, and most were obese. Conclusion: In a diverse population of Latinos with poorly controlled diabetes in Miami, we found high rates of depression, obesity, medication non-adherence, poor self-efficacy, and provider communication. These may contribute to poor

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Full Text Available ... Ear, Nose and Throat Thyroid Cancer Surgical Removal of the Thyroid Gland (Baptist Health South Florida, Miami, FL, 2/01/2012) Endocrine System Ovarian Cancer Scarless Hysterectomy (Baptist Hospital, Miami, FL, ...

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Health South Florida, Miami, FL, 2/01/2012) Endocrine System Ovarian Cancer Scarless Hysterectomy (Baptist Hospital, Miami, FL, 10/17/2013) Pancreatic Diseases Diagnosing & Treating Digestive Tract Disorders Endoscopically (Wake Forest ...

Mitigating the impacts of ASHRAE Standard 62-1989 on Florida schools

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davanagere, B.S.; Shirey, D.B. III [Florida Solar Energy Center, Cocoa, FL (United States); Rengarajan, K. [AJT and Associates, Inc., Cape Canaveral, FL (United States); Colacino, F. [Florida Power and Light, Miami, FL (United States)

1997-12-31

The impacts of ASHRAE Standard 62-1989 on a typical Florida elementary school were studied by performing annual building energy simulations using computer software. A single prototypical school was modeled for three cities: Miami, Orlando, and Jacksonville. The performance of a conventional heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system and several alternative technologies was investigated to assess their ability to mitigate the impacts of ASHRAE Standard 62-1989 while maintaining acceptable indoor humidity levels. In addition, the installed first costs and life-cycle costs for all HVAC systems investigated were estimated and compared to identify cost-effective options. The results of this simulation study clearly indicate that the conventional HVAC system will have problems maintaining proper indoor humidity levels in Florida schools with ventilation rates prescribed by ASHRAE Standard 62-1989. Dedicated conditioning of outdoor ventilation air with alternative technologies would provide better humidity control in the occupied zones. Several of the alternative systems would also reduce the impacts of increased ventilation on equipment capacity, operating costs, and peak electric demand compared to the conventional system. All of the alternative HVAC systems studied are commercially available, and this study presents their performance in terms of ability to maintain acceptable indoor humility levels and life-cycle costs.

Toxic metals from Biscayne Bay, Florida from the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory in Miami, Florida from 01 January 1995 to 31 December 1996 (NODC Accession 0000466)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Toxic metals have been collected to be analyzed in laboratory in the Biscayne Bay - Florida, from 01 January 1995 to 31 December 1996. Data were submitted by the...

Changing Salinity Patterns in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

,

2004-01-01

Biscayne Bay, Fla., is a 428-square-mile (1,109-square-kilometer) subtropical estuarine ecosystem that includes Biscayne National Park, the largest marine park in the U.S. national park system (fig. 1). The bay began forming between 5,000 and 3,000 years ago as sea level rose and southern Florida was flooded. Throughout most of its history, the pristine waters of the bay supported abundant and diverse fauna and flora, and the bay was a nursery for the adjacent coral-reef and marine ecosystems. In the 20th century, urbanization of the Miami-Dade County area profoundly affected the environment of the bay. Construction of powerplants, water-treatment plants, and solid-waste sites and large-scale development along the shoreline stressed the ecosystem. Biscayne National Monument was established in 1968 to ?preserve and protect for the education, inspiration, recreation and enjoyment of present and future generations a rare combination of terrestrial, marine, and amphibious life in a tropical setting of great natural beauty? (Public Law 90?606). The monument was enlarged in 1980 and designated a national park.

Assessing the prevalence of autoimmune, endocrine, gynecologic, and psychiatric comorbidities in an ethnically diverse cohort of female fibromyalgia patients: does the time from hysterectomy provide a clue?

OpenAIRE

Brooks, Larry; Hadi, Joseph; Amber, Kyle T; Weiner, Michelle; La Riche, Christopher L; Ference, Tamar

2015-01-01

Larry Brooks,1 Joseph Hadi,2 Kyle T Amber,1 Michelle Weiner,3 Christopher L La Riche,4 Tamar Ference1 1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, 2Anesco Interventional Pain Institute, Margate, 3Miami Pain and Diagnostics, Miami, 4Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Florida International University Wertheim College of Medicine, University Park, FL, USABackground: This retrospective chart review investigated differences in the preva...

OneFlorida Clinical Research Consortium: Linking a Clinical and Translational Science Institute With a Community-Based Distributive Medical Education Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Shenkman, Elizabeth; Hurt, Myra; Hogan, William; Carrasquillo, Olveen; Smith, Steven; Brickman, Andrew; Nelson, David

2018-03-01

Developing a national pragmatic clinical trial infrastructure is central to understanding the effectiveness of interventions applied under usual conditions and where people receive health care. To address this challenge, three Florida universities-the University of Florida Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Florida State University (with its community-based distributive medical education model), and the University of Miami-created (2010-2013) a statewide consortium, the OneFlorida Clinical Research Consortium, to support the conduct of pragmatic clinical trials and provide mentored research experiences for medical and graduate students in real-world practice settings. OneFlorida has four programs, which report to a steering committee with membership from each partner, community members, and the state Medicaid agency and Department of Health to ensure shared governance. The Clinical Research Program provides support to conduct research in the network and uses champions to engage community clinicians. The Citizen Scientist Program has community members who provide input on health topics of importance to them, study design, recruitment and retention strategies, and the interpretation of findings. The Data Trust Program contains electronic health record and health care claims data for 10.6 million Floridians. The Minority Education Program, in collaboration with three historically black colleges and universities, offers minority junior faculty mentoring in pragmatic clinical trials and implementation science. OneFlorida has implemented 27 studies with diverse patient populations and in diverse community practice settings. To identify evidence-based best practices from the clinical trials conducted in the network, foster their implementation, and expand research training opportunities.

Informal Education and Climate Change: An Example From The Miami Science Museum

Science.gov (United States)

Delaughter, J.

2007-12-01

The Miami Science Museum recently took part in the National Conversation on Climate Action, held on October 4, 2007. This nationwide event encouraged members of the general public to explore local climate policy options. It provided an opportunity for citizens to discuss the issues and science of climate change with experts and policy makers, as well as neighbors and friends. During the day, the Miami Science Museum hosted a variety of events with something for everyone. Local school groups played DECIDE games and competed to find the most "treasure" in trash. Members and visitors were encouraged to leave their mark by posting comments and ideas about climate change. A "Gates of Change" exhibit provided dramatic visual indication of the effects of climate change and sea level rise. And a special "Meet the scientists" forum allowed the general public to discuss the facts and fictions of climate change with experts from Miami University's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. This activity was part of the Association of Science and Technology Centers' (ASTC) International action on Global Warming (IGLO) program. ASTC is the largest association of public science venues, and has 540 member institutions in 40 countries.

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Full Text Available ... Springs, Coral Springs, FL, 3/31/2014) Digestive System Bile Duct Cancer Diagnosing & Treating Digestive Tract Disorders ... South Florida, Miami, FL, 2/01/2012) Endocrine System Ovarian Cancer Scarless Hysterectomy (Baptist Hospital, Miami, FL, ...

Impact of MODIS High-Resolution Sea-Surface Temperatures on WRF Forecasts at NWS Miami, FL

Science.gov (United States)

Case, Jonathan L.; LaCasse, Katherine M.; Dembek, Scott R.; Santos, Pablo; Lapenta, William M.

2007-01-01

Over the past few years,studies at the Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center have suggested that the use of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) composite sea-surface temperature (SST) products in regional weather forecast models can have a significant positive impact on short-term numerical weather prediction in coastal regions. The recent paper by LaCasse et al. (2007, Monthly Weather Review) highlights lower atmospheric differences in regional numerical simulations over the Florida offshore waters using 2-km SST composites derived from the MODIS instrument aboard the polar-orbiting Aqua and Terra Earth Observing System satellites. To help quantify the value of this impact on NWS Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs), the SPoRT Center and the NWS WFO at Miami, FL (MIA) are collaborating on a project to investigate the impact of using the high-resolution MODIS SST fields within the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) prediction system. The scientific hypothesis being tested is: More accurate specification of the lower-boundary forcing within WRF will result in improved land/sea fluxes and hence, more accurate evolution of coastal mesoscale circulations and the associated sensible weather elements. The NWS MIA is currently running the WRF system in real-time to support daily forecast operations, using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Nonhydrostatic Mesoscale Model dynamical core within the NWS Science and Training Resource Center's Environmental Modeling System (EMS) software; The EMS is a standalone modeling system capable of downloading the necessary daily datasets, and initializing, running and displaying WRF forecasts in the NWS Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) with little intervention required by forecasters. Twenty-seven hour forecasts are run daily with start times of 0300,0900, 1500, and 2100 UTC on a domain with 4-km grid spacing covering the southern half of Florida and the far

Assessing the environmental justice consequences of flood risk: a case study in Miami, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Montgomery, Marilyn C.; Chakraborty, Jayajit

2015-09-01

Recent environmental justice (EJ) research has emphasized the need to analyze social inequities in the distribution of natural hazards such as hurricanes and floods, and examine intra-ethnic diversity in patterns of EJ. This study contributes to the emerging EJ scholarship on exposure to flooding and ethnic heterogeneity by analyzing the racial/ethnic and socioeconomic characteristics of the population residing within coastal and inland flood risk zones in the Miami Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), Florida—one of the most ethnically diverse MSAs in the U.S. and one of the most hurricane-prone areas in the world. We examine coastal and inland flood zones separately because of differences in amenities such as water views and beach access. Instead of treating the Hispanic population as a homogenous group, we disaggregate the Hispanic category into relevant country-of-origin subgroups. Inequities in flood risk exposure are statistically analyzed using socio-demographic variables derived from the 2010 U.S. Census and 2007-2011 American Community Survey estimates, and 100-year flood risk zones from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Social vulnerability is represented with two neighborhood deprivation indices called economic insecurity and instability. We also analyze the presence of seasonal/vacation homes and proximity to public beach access sites as water-related amenity variables. Logistic regression modeling is utilized to estimate the odds of neighborhood-level exposure to coastal and inland 100-year flood risks. Results indicate that neighborhoods with greater percentages of non-Hispanic Blacks, Hispanics, and Hispanic subgroups of Colombians and Puerto Ricans are exposed to inland flood risks in areas without water-related amenities, while Mexicans are inequitably exposed to coastal flood risks. Our findings demonstrate the importance of treating coastal and inland flood risks separately while controlling for water-related amenities, and

Mental Health Impact of Hosting Disaster Refugees: Analyses from a Random Sample Survey Among Haitians Living in Miami.

Science.gov (United States)

Messiah, Antoine; Lacoste, Jérôme; Gokalsing, Erick; Shultz, James M; Rodríguez de la Vega, Pura; Castro, Grettel; Acuna, Juan M

2016-08-01

Studies on the mental health of families hosting disaster refugees are lacking. This study compares participants in households that hosted 2010 Haitian earthquake disaster refugees with their nonhost counterparts. A random sample survey was conducted from October 2011 through December 2012 in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Haitian participants were assessed regarding their 2010 earthquake exposure and impact on family and friends and whether they hosted earthquake refugees. Using standardized scores and thresholds, they were evaluated for symptoms of three common mental disorders (CMDs): posttraumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder (MDD). Participants who hosted refugees (n = 51) had significantly higher percentages of scores beyond thresholds for MDD than those who did not host refugees (n = 365) and for at least one CMD, after adjusting for participants' earthquake exposures and effects on family and friends. Hosting refugees from a natural disaster appears to elevate the risk for MDD and possibly other CMDs, independent of risks posed by exposure to the disaster itself. Families hosting refugees deserve special attention.

Electrical resistivity and porosity structure of the upper Biscayne Aquifer in Miami-Dade County, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Whitman, Dean; Yeboah-Forson, Albert

2015-12-01

Square array electrical soundings were made at 13 sites in the Biscayne Aquifer distributed between 1 and 20 km from the shoreline. These soundings were modeled to investigate how resistivity varies spatially and with depth in the upper 15 m of the aquifer. Porosity was estimated from the modeled formation resistivity and observed pore fluid resistivity with Archie's Law. The models were used to interpolate resistivity and porosity surfaces at -2, -5, -8, and -15 m elevations. Modeled resistivity in the unsaturated zone is generally higher than 300 Ω m with the resistivity at sites with thick unsaturated zones greater than 1000 Ω m. Resistivity in the saturated zone ranges from 30 to 320 Ω m. At many sites in the western portions of the study area, resistivity is constant or increases with depth whereas sites in the center of the Atlantic Coastal Ridge exhibit a distinct low resistivity zone (ρ aquifer. The estimated porosity ranges between 14% and 71% with modal values near 25%. The porosity structure varies both with depth and spatially. Western sites exhibit a high porosity zone at shallow depths best expressed in a NE-SW trending zone of 40-50% porosity situated near the western margin of the Atlantic Coastal Ridge. This zone roughly corresponds in depth with the Q5 chronostratigraphic unit of the Miami Fm. which constitutes the upper flow unit of the Biscayne Aquifer. The highest porosity (>50%) is seen at elevations below -5 m at sites in the center of the Atlantic Coastal Ridge and likely corresponds to solution features. The general NE-SW trend of the resistivity and porosity structure suggests a causal connection with the Pleistocene paleogeography and sedimentary environments.

78 FR 54670 - Miami Tribe of Oklahoma-Liquor Control Ordinance

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-05

... operations on Miami Tribe of Oklahoma Trust Land. The enactment of a tribal ordinance governing liquor and... continued operation and strengthening of the tribal government and the delivery of tribal government... dining rooms of hotels, restaurants, theaters, gaming facilities, entertainment centers, stores, garages...

Family and cultural influences on cervical cancer screening among immigrant Latinas in Miami-Dade County, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Madhivanan, Purnima; Valderrama, Diana; Krupp, Karl; Ibanez, Gladys

2016-01-01

Cervical cancer disproportionately affects minorities, immigrants and low-income women in the USA, with disparities greatest among Latino immigrants. We examined barriers and facilitators to cervical cancer screening practices among a group of immigrant Latino women in Florida, USA. Between January and May 2013, six focus group discussions, involving 35 participants, were conducted among Hispanic women in Miami to explore their knowledge, beliefs about cervical cancer and facilitators and barriers to cervical cancer screening using a theoretical framework. The data showed that family support, especially from female relatives, was an important facilitator of screening and treatment. Women, however, reported prioritising family health over their own, and some expressed fatalistic beliefs about cancer. Major obstacles to receiving a Pap smear included fear that it might result in removal of the uterus, discomfort about being seen by a male doctor and concern that testing might stigmatise them as being sexually promiscuous or having a sexually transmitted disease. Targeted education on cancer and prevention is critically needed in this population. Efforts should focus on women of all ages since younger women often turn to older female relatives for advice.

77 FR 25036 - Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU) Certification Process

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-27

..., Animal Nutrition 01.0905, Dairy Science 01.0906, Livestock Management 01.0907, Poultry Science 01.0999... Coalinga Whittier College Florida (3) Florida International University Miami Dade College Saint Thomas...

Toward a Miami University Model for Internet-Intensive Higher Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolfe, Christopher R.; Crider, Linda; Mayer, Larry; McBride, Mark; Sherman, Richard; Vogel, Robert

1998-01-01

Describes principles underlying an emerging model for Internet-intensive undergraduate instruction at Miami University (Ohio) in which students learn by creating online materials themselves; faculty facilitate active learning; student intellectual exchanges are enriched; and the seminar sensibility is extended. Four applications are examined: a…

Hurricane Andrew causes major oil spill at Florida Power ampersand Light Company's Turkey Point Power Plant, Homestead, Florida

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, M.A.; Butts, R.L.; Lindsay, J.R.; McCully, B.S.; Pickering, T.H.

1993-01-01

On August 24, 1992, Hurricane Andrew slammed into South Florida with wind gusts in excess of 160 mph. At 4:00 a.m. that day, the eye of this category four storm passed over Florida Power ampersand Light Company's Turkey Point power plant, south of Miami. Although the plant's two nuclear units escaped any significant damage, the storm caused extensive destruction to buildings and transmission facilities, and damaged two 400 foot tall emission stacks associated with the site's two fossil fuel generating units. In addition, a 90,000 to 110,000 gallon spill of No. 6 fuel oil resulted when a piece of wind-blown debris punctured the steel of the unit One 12,000 barrel fuel oil metering tank approximately 30 feet up from the tank bottom. Despite the presence of a secondary containment structure around the tank, the intense wind blew oil throughout the plant site. The damage to the metering tank apparently occurred during the first half hour of the hurricane. As the tank's oil level fell due to the puncture, transfer pumps from the bulk oil storage tanks received a low level alarm which automatically began transferring oil to the damaged metering tank. To prevent the further discharge of oil, plant personnel entered the power block and secured the pumps during the passage of the hurricane eye. Immediately following the storm, facility personnel deployed booms across the barge canal and the Units 1 and 2 intake canal to contain the oil which had entered the water. The response strategy and implementation is described in detail. The remediation costs were approximately $14/gallon spilled, including 54,000 gallons recovered for electricity generation

Pleistocene corals of the Florida keys: Architects of imposing reefs - Why?

Science.gov (United States)

Lidz, B.H.

2006-01-01

Five asymmetrical, discontinuous, stratigraphically successive Pleistocene reef tracts rim the windward platform margin off the Florida Keys. Built of large head corals, the reefs are imposing in relief (???30 m high by 1 km wide), as measured from seismic profiles. Well dated to marine oxygen isotope substages 5c, 5b, and 5a, corals at depth are inferred to date to the Stage 6/5 transition. The size of these reefs attests to late Pleistocene conditions that repeatedly induced vigorous and sustained coral growth. In contrast, the setting today, linked to Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, is generally deemed marginal for reef accretion. Incursion onto the reef tract of waters that contain seasonally inconsistent temperature, salinity, turbidity, and nutrient content impedes coral growth. Fluctuating sea level and consequent settings controlled deposition. The primary dynamic was position of eustatic zeniths relative to regional topographic elevations. Sea level during the past 150 ka reached a maximum of ???10.6 m higher than at present ???125 ka, which gave rise to an inland coral reef (Key Largo Limestone) and ooid complex (Miami Limestone) during isotope substage 5e. These formations now form the Florida Keys and a bedrock ridge beneath The Quicksands (Gulf of Mexico). High-precision radiometric ages and depths of dated corals indicate subsequent apices remained ???15 to 9 m, respectively, below present sea level. Those peaks provided accommodation space sufficient for vertical reef growth yet exposed a broad landmass landward of the reefs for >100 ka. With time, space, lack of bay waters, and protection from the Gulf of Mexico, corals thrived in clear oceanic waters of the Gulf Stream, the only waters to reach them.

Epizootic ulcerative syndrome caused by Aphanomyces invadans in captive bullseye snakehead Channa marulius collected from south Florida, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Saylor, Ryan K.; Miller, Debra L.; Vandersea, Mark W.; Bevelhimer, Mark S.; Schofield, Pamela J.; Bennett, Wayne A.

2010-01-01

Epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS) caused by the oomycete Aphanomyces invadans is an invasive, opportunistic disease of both freshwater and estuarine fishes. Originally documented as the cause of mycotic granulomatosis of ornamental fishes in Japan and as the cause of EUS of fishes in southeast Asia and Australia, this pathogen is also present in estuaries and freshwater bodies of the Atlantic and gulf coasts of the USA. We describe a mass mortality event of 343 captive juvenile bullseye snakehead Channa marulius collected from freshwater canals in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Clinical signs appeared within the first 2 d of captivity and included petechiae, ulceration, erratic swimming, and inappetence. Histological examination revealed hyphae invading from the skin lesions deep into the musculature and internal organs. Species identification was confirmed using a species-specific PCR assay. Despite therapeutic attempts, 100% mortality occurred. This represents the first documented case of EUS in bullseye snakehead fish collected from waters in the USA. Future investigation of the distribution and prevalence of A. invadans within the bullseye snakehead range in south Florida may give insight into this pathogen-host system.

Magnitude and Distribution of Flows into Northeastern Florida Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Patino, Eduardo; Hittle, Clinton D.

2000-01-01

Changes in water-management practices have been made to accommodate a large and rapidly growing urban population along the Atlantic Coast and to meet the demand for intensive agricultural activities. These changes have resulted in a highly managed hydrologic system consisting of numerous canals, levees, control structures, and pumping stations that have altered the hydrology of the Everglades and Florida Bay ecosystems. Over the past decade, Florida Bay has experienced sea-grass die-off and algal blooms, which are indicators of ecological change attributed primarily to the increase in salinity and nutrient content of bay waters. Because plans are to restore sheetflow in the Everglades wetlands to its natural state, water managers anticipate a change in the magnitude and timing of freshwater exiting the mainland through the creeks that cut through the embankment or as sheetflow into Florida Bay.

Implementing Guided Pathways at Miami Dade College: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Bailey, Thomas; Jaggars, Shanna Smith; Jenkins, Davis

2015-01-01

In 2011, working groups from across the eight campuses of Miami Dade College (MDC) conducted a wide-ranging examination of why many students were not completing their programs. These groups identified a number of reasons for student attrition. Students were unclear about how to progress through programs--they had too many course and program…

Tourism and the Hispanicization of race in Jim Crow Miami, 1945-1965.

Science.gov (United States)

Rose, Chanelle N

2012-01-01

This article examines how Miami's significant presence of Anglo Caribbean blacks and Spanish-speaking tourists critically influenced the evolution of race relations before and after the watershed 1959 Cuban Revolution. The convergence of people from the American South and North, the Caribbean, and Latin America created a border culture in a city where the influx of Bahamian blacks and Spanish-speakers, especially tourists, had begun to alter the racial landscape. To be sure, Miami had many parallels with other parts of the South in regard to how blackness was understood and enforced by whites during the first half of the twentieth century. However, I argue that the city's post-WWII meteoric tourist growth, along with its emergence as a burgeoning Pan-American metropolis, complicated the traditional southern black-white dichotomy. The purchasing power of Spanish-speaking visitors during the postwar era transformed a tourist economy that had traditionally catered to primarily wealthy white transplanted Northerners. This significant change to the city's tourist industry significantly influenced white civic leaders' decision to occasionally modify Jim Crow practices for Latin American vacationers. In effect, Miami's early Latinization had a profound impact on the established racial order as speaking Spanish became a form of currency that benefited Spanish-speaking tourists—even those of African descent. Paradoxically, this ostensibly peculiar racial climate aided the local struggle by highlighting the idiosyncrasies of Jim Crow while perpetuating the second-class status of native-born blacks.

NOAA TIFF Image - 3m Bathymetry Mosaic, Florida Deep Coral Areas (Miami) - Lost Coast Explorer - (2010), UTM 17N NAD83

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This dataset contains a unified GeoTiff with 3x3 meter cell size representing bathymetry of several deep coral priority areas off the Atlantic Coast of Florida,...

Miami urban partnership agreement (UPA) Pines Boulevard transit signal priority evaluation .report.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-01

The Miami Urban Partnership Agreement included the conversion of high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on I-95 to high occupancy toll : (HOT) lanes and additional express bus service. It also included funding for the installation of transit signal prior...

NOAA TIFF Image - 3m Bathymetric Rugosity, Florida Deep Coral Areas (Miami) - Lost Coast Explorer - (2011), UTM 17N NAD83

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This dataset contains a unified GeoTiff with 3x3 meter cell size representing the rugosity of several deep coral priority areas off the Atlantic Coast of Florida,...

Near-surface, marine seismic-reflection data defines potential hydrogeologic confinement bypass in a tertiary carbonate aquifer, southeastern Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, Kevin J.; Walker, Cameron; Westcott, Richard L.

2012-01-01

Approximately 210 km of near-surface, high-frequency, marine seismic-reflection data were acquired on the southeastern part of the Florida Platform between 2007 and 2011. Many high-resolution, seismic-reflection profiles, interpretable to a depth of about 730 m, were collected on the shallow-marine shelf of southeastern Florida in water as shallow as 1 m. Landward of the present-day shelf-margin slope, these data image middle Eocene to Pleistocene strata and Paleocene to Pleistocene strata on the Miami Terrace. This high-resolution data set provides an opportunity to evaluate geologic structures that cut across confining units of the Paleocene to Oligocene-age carbonate rocks that form the Floridan aquifer system.Seismic profiles image two structural systems, tectonic faults and karst collapse structures, which breach confining beds in the Floridan aquifer system. Both structural systems may serve as pathways for vertical groundwater flow across relatively low-permeability carbonate strata that separate zones of regionally extensive high-permeability rocks in the Floridan aquifer system. The tectonic faults occur as normal and reverse faults, and collapse-related faults have normal throw. The most common fault occurrence delineated on the reflection profiles is associated with karst collapse structures. These high-frequency seismic data are providing high quality structural analogs to unprecedented depths on the southeastern Florida Platform. The analogs can be used for assessment of confinement of other carbonate aquifers and the sealing potential of deeper carbonate rocks associated with reservoirs around the world.

A vulnerability assessment of 300 species in Florida: threats from sea level rise, land use, and climate change.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joshua Steven Reece

Full Text Available Species face many threats, including accelerated climate change, sea level rise, and conversion and degradation of habitat from human land uses. Vulnerability assessments and prioritization protocols have been proposed to assess these threats, often in combination with information such as species rarity; ecological, evolutionary or economic value; and likelihood of success. Nevertheless, few vulnerability assessments or prioritization protocols simultaneously account for multiple threats or conservation values. We applied a novel vulnerability assessment tool, the Standardized Index of Vulnerability and Value, to assess the conservation priority of 300 species of plants and animals in Florida given projections of climate change, human land-use patterns, and sea level rise by the year 2100. We account for multiple sources of uncertainty and prioritize species under five different systems of value, ranging from a primary emphasis on vulnerability to threats to an emphasis on metrics of conservation value such as phylogenetic distinctiveness. Our results reveal remarkable consistency in the prioritization of species across different conservation value systems. Species of high priority include the Miami blue butterfly (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri, Key tree cactus (Pilosocereus robinii, Florida duskywing butterfly (Ephyriades brunnea floridensis, and Key deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium. We also identify sources of uncertainty and the types of life history information consistently missing across taxonomic groups. This study characterizes the vulnerabilities to major threats of a broad swath of Florida's biodiversity and provides a system for prioritizing conservation efforts that is quantitative, flexible, and free from hidden value judgments.

Focused risk assessment: Mound Plant, Miami-Erie Canal Operable Unit 4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogers, D.R.; Dunning, D.F.

1994-01-01

In 1969, an underground waste line at Mound Plant ruptured and released plutonium-238 in a dilute nitric acid solution to the surrounding soils. Most of the acid was neutralized by the native soils. The plutonium, which in a neutral solution is tightly sorbed onto clay particles, remained within the spill area. During remediation, a severe storm eroded some of the contaminated soil. Fine grained plutonium-contaminated clay particles were carried away through the natural drainage courses to the remnants of the Miami-Erie Canal adjacent to Mound Plant, and then into the Great Miami River. This focused risk assessment considers exposure pathways relevant to site conditions, including incidental ingestion of contaminated soils, ingestion of drinking water and fish, and inhalation of resuspended soils and sediments. For each potential exposure pathway, a simplified conceptual model and exposure scenarios have been used to develop conservative estimates of potential radiation dose equivalents and health risks. The conservatism of the dose and risk estimates provides a substantive margin of safety in assuring that the public health is protected

Seismic-sequence stratigraphy and geologic structure of the Floridan aquifer system near "Boulder Zone" deep wells in Miami-Dade County, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, Kevin J.

2015-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department, acquired, processed, and interpreted seismic-reflection data near the North and South District “Boulder Zone” Well Fields to determine if geologic factors may contribute to the upward migration of injected effluent into that upper part of the Floridan aquifer system designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as an underground source of drinking water. The depth of the Boulder Zone at the North and South District “Boulder Zone” Well Fields ranges from about 2,750 to 3,300 feet below land surface (ft bls), whereas overlying permeable zones used as alternative drinking water supply range in depth from about 825 to 1,580 ft bls at the North and South District “Boulder Zone” Well Fields. Seismic-sequence stratigraphy and geologic structures imaged on seismic-reflection profiles created for the study describe the part of the Floridan aquifer system overlying and within the Boulder Zone. Features of the Floridan aquifer system underlying the Boulder Zone were not studied because seismic-reflection profiles acquired near the North and South District “Boulder Zone” Well Fields lacked adequate resolution at such depths.

The Incorporation of the USA "Science Made Sensible" Programme in South African Primary Schools: A Cross-Cultural Approach to Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

de Villiers, Rian; Plantan, Tiffany; Gaines, Michael

2016-01-01

The Science Made Sensible (SMS) programme began as a partnership between the University of Miami (UM), Florida, USA, and some public schools in Miami. In this programme, postgraduate students from UM work with primary school science teachers to engage learners in science through the use of inquiry-based, hands-on activities. Due to the success of…

Predicting Salmonella populations from biological, chemical, and physical indicators in Florida surface waters.

Science.gov (United States)

McEgan, Rachel; Mootian, Gabriel; Goodridge, Lawrence D; Schaffner, Donald W; Danyluk, Michelle D

2013-07-01

Coliforms, Escherichia coli, and various physicochemical water characteristics have been suggested as indicators of microbial water quality or index organisms for pathogen populations. The relationship between the presence and/or concentration of Salmonella and biological, physical, or chemical indicators in Central Florida surface water samples over 12 consecutive months was explored. Samples were taken monthly for 12 months from 18 locations throughout Central Florida (n = 202). Air and water temperature, pH, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), turbidity, and conductivity were measured. Weather data were obtained from nearby weather stations. Aerobic plate counts and most probable numbers (MPN) for Salmonella, E. coli, and coliforms were performed. Weak linear relationships existed between biological indicators (E. coli/coliforms) and Salmonella levels (R(2) Florida surface water through logistic regression.

Final report on the University of Florida U.S. Department of Energy 1995--96 Reactor Sharing Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vernetson, W.G.

1996-11-01

Grant support has been well used by the University of Florida as host institution to support various educational institutions in the use of the reactor and associated facilities as indicated in the proposal. These various educational institutions are located primarily within Florida. However, when the 600-mile distance from Pensacola to Miami is considered, it is obvious that this Grant provides access to reactor utilization for a broad geographical region and a diverse set of user institutions serving over twelve million inhabitants throughout the State of Florida and still others throughout the nation. All users and uses were carefully screened to assure the usage was for educational institutions eligible for participation in the Reactor Sharing Program; where research activities were involved, care was taken to assure the research activities were not funded by grants for contract funding from outside sources. In some cases external grant funding is limited or is used up, in which case the Reactor Sharing Grant and frequent cost sharing by the UFTR facility and the University of Florida provide the necessary support to complete a project or to provide more results to make a complete project even better. In some cases this latter usage has aided renewal of external funding. The role of the Reactor Sharing Program, though relatively small in dollars, has been the single most important occurrence in assuring the rebirth and continued high utilization of the UFTR in a time when many better equipped and better placed facilities have ceased operations. Through dedicated and effective advertising efforts, the UFTR has seen nearly every four-year college and university in Florida make substantive use of the facility under the Reactor Sharing Program with many now regular users. Some have even been able to support usage from outside grants where the Reactor Sharing Grant has served as seed money; still others have been assisted when external grants were depleted

Monitoring cryptic amphibians and reptiles in a Florida state park.

Science.gov (United States)

Engeman, Richard M; Meshaka, Walter E; Severson, Robert; Severson, Mary Ann; Kaufman, Greg; Groninger, N Paige; Smith, Henry T

2016-04-01

We monitored cryptic herpetofauna at Savannas Preserve State Park, Florida, by combining artificial cover counts with a quantitative paradigm for constructing and calculating population indices. Weekly indices were calculated from two consecutive days of data collection each week for 7 months from mid-winter to mid-summer in three habitats. Seventeen species were observed at least once, and time trends using index values were followed for six species. Among these, abundance and seasonal pattern information were obtained for an exotic species (greenhouse frog) and a species identified by the Florida Committee on Rare and Endangered Plants and Animals as threatened (Florida scrub lizard). We identified winter as the optimal time in this area to monitor populations for conducting annual assessments. This combined observation and indexing approach could provide managers or researchers with an economical means to quantitatively index population trends for multiple cryptic herpetofauna species simultaneously. Using artificial cover to sample within a population indexing design can be generalized beyond monitoring herpetofauna. Other forms of artificial cover that can be used as observation stations include aquatic artificial substrates, artificial tree cavities, artificial reefs, and other artificial aquatic structures and artificial sea grass units, among many others, and a wide range of taxa are suitable for population monitoring using artificial cover as observation stations in the approach we present, including insects, soil invertebrates, micro and macro aquatic invertebrates, fish, crustaceans, and small mammals.

Photosynthetically active and ultraviolet radiation at SEAKEYS station Molasses Reef (MLRF) in the Florida Keys, 2011 (NODC Accession 0098080)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Florida Institute of Oceanography's (FIO) SEAKEYS (Sustained Ecological Research Related to Management of the Florida Keys Seascape) program began in 1989 and...

Environmental Setting and Effects on Water Quality in the Great and Little Miami River Basins, Ohio and Indiana

Science.gov (United States)

Debrewer, Linda M.; Rowe, Gary L.; Reutter, David C.; Moore, Rhett C.; Hambrook, Julie A.; Baker, Nancy T.

2000-01-01

The Great and Little Miami River Basins drain approximately 7,354 square miles in southwestern Ohio and southeastern Indiana and are included in the more than 50 major river basins and aquifer systems selected for water-quality assessment as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Principal streams include the Great and Little Miami Rivers in Ohio and the Whitewater River in Indiana. The Great and Little Miami River Basins are almost entirely within the Till Plains section of the Central Lowland physiographic province and have a humid continental climate, characterized by well-defined summer and winter seasons. With the exception of a few areas near the Ohio River, Pleistocene glacial deposits, which are predominantly till, overlie lower Paleozoic limestone, dolomite, and shale bedrock. The principal aquifer is a complex buried-valley system of sand and gravel aquifers capable of supporting sustained well yields exceeding 1,000 gallons per min-ute. Designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a sole-source aquifer, the Buried-Valley Aquifer System is the principal source of drinking water for 1.6 million people in the basins and is the dominant source of water for southwestern Ohio. Water use in the Great and Little Miami River Basins averaged 745 million gallons per day in 1995. Of this amount, 48 percent was supplied by surface water (including the Ohio River) and 52 percent was supplied by ground water. Land-use and waste-management practices influence the quality of water found in streams and aquifers in the Great and Little Miami River Basins. Land use is approximately 79 percent agriculture, 13 percent urban (residential, industrial, and commercial), and 7 percent forest. An estimated 2.8 million people live in the Great and Little Miami River Basins; major urban areas include Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio. Fertilizers and pesticides associated with agricultural activity, discharges from municipal and

Ground-water flow directions and estimation of aquifer hydraulic properties in the lower Great Miami River Buried Valley aquifer system, Hamilton Area, Ohio

Science.gov (United States)

Sheets, Rodney A.; Bossenbroek, Karen E.

2005-01-01

The Great Miami River Buried Valley Aquifer System is one of the most productive sources of potable water in the Midwest, yielding as much as 3,000 gallons per minute to wells. Many water-supply wells tapping this aquifer system are purposely placed near rivers to take advantage of induced infiltration from the rivers. The City of Hamilton's North Well Field consists of 10 wells near the Great Miami River, all completed in the lower Great Miami River Buried Valley Aquifer System. A well-drilling program and a multiple-well aquifer test were done to investigate ground-water flow directions and to estimate aquifer hydraulic properties in the lower part of the Great Miami River Buried Valley Aquifer System. Descriptions of lithology from 10 well borings indicate varying amounts and thickness of clay or till, and therefore, varying levels of potential aquifer confinement. Borings also indicate that the aquifer properties can change dramatically over relatively short distances. Grain-size analyses indicate an average bulk hydraulic conductivity value of aquifer materials of 240 feet per day; the geometric mean of hydraulic conductivity values of aquifer material was 89 feet per day. Median grain sizes of aquifer material and clay units were 1.3 millimeters and 0.1 millimeters, respectively. Water levels in the Hamilton North Well Field are affected by stream stage in the Great Miami River and barometric pressure. Bank storage in response to stream stage is evident. Results from a multiple-well aquifer test at the well field indicate, as do the lithologic descriptions, that the aquifer is semiconfined in some areas and unconfined in others. Transmissivity and storage coefficient of the semiconfined part of the aquifer were 50,000 feet squared per day and 5x10-4, respectively. The average hydraulic conductivity (450 feet per day) based on the aquifer test is reasonable for glacial outwash but is higher than calculated from grain-size analyses, implying a scale effect

International Civic Engagement: From Development Studies and Service-Learning, to Miami University-Dominica Partnerships

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Klak

2012-04-01

Full Text Available During the past four years, faculty, students, and staff from Miami University have been cultivating civic engagement relationships with citizens of the Commonwealth of Dominica, in the Eastern Caribbean. For members of the Miami University community, this has been an effort to create opportunities for learning and scholarship through partnerships with people in the Global South who are working for community empowerment, progressive change, and sustainable development. For our Dominican counterparts, benefits include financial inputs, manual labor, relevant research projects, and an outside interest in contributing positively to ameliorating their community challenges. We work to base the Miami University-Dominica relationships on trust, long-term commitment, and mutuality, so that the benefits go back and forth in myriad ways. The result has been a set of relationships across international borders and cultural differences that is more fulfilling for both sides than typical study abroad, research, or ecotourism encounters in the Global South. This paper describes the conceptual underpinnings of this international civic engagement, and recounts three examples of the kinds of community groups and activities that the partnerships involve. We also note where the project has encountered constraints and limitations, and our next steps in the effort. We hope this example can serve as a template and motivation for other university groups to commit to cultivating civic engagement relationships with people and communities in the Global South. KEYWORDScivic engagement; community engagement; community partnerships; sustainability

Condom use preferences among Latinos in Miami-Dade: emerging themes concerning men's and women's culturally-ascribed attitudes and behaviours.

Science.gov (United States)

Sastre, Francisco; De La Rosa, Mario; Ibanez, Gladys E; Whitt, Elaine; Martin, Steven S; O'Connell, Daniel J

2015-01-01

Among Latinos, cultural values such as machismo and marianismo may promote inconsistent condom use representing a significant risk factor for HIV infection. Yet there continues to be a need for additional research to explore the influence these cultural values have on Latino men and women's condom use attitudes and behaviours given increasing HIV rates of HIV infection among Latinos. The purpose of this study was to explore further Latino traditional culturally-ascribed attitudes and behaviour for emerging themes toward condom use among a diverse group of adult Latino men and women living in Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA. The study used a qualitative study-design and collected data from 16 focus groups with a total of 67 Latino men and women. Findings from the focus groups described attitudes and behaviours that counter traditional gender roles towards sex and expected sexual behaviours informed by machismo and marianismo. Common attitudes noted in the study include men's classification of women as dirty-clean to determine condom use and women's assertiveness during sexual encounters negotiating condom use--in favour and against it. As the findings of this study suggest, the process differ greatly between Latino men and women, having an impact on the risk behaviours in which each engage.

77 FR 68679 - Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU)

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-16

... changes to the existing list of institutions in Appendix B of 7 CFR part 3434. The list of institutions is.... Institutions are listed alphabetically under the state of the school's location, with the campus indicated...) Trinidad State Junior College Florida (4) Florida International University Miami Dade College Nova...

Efficacy of an entomopathogenic fungus, Isaria fumosorosea and an insect growth regulator against the rugose spiraling whitefly, Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

Science.gov (United States)

Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin, infamous as gumbo limbo or rugose spiraling whitefly is a new addition in the list of devastating whitefly species found in Florida. It is a newly introduced pest of Central American origin, reported first time in Florida from Miami-Dade County in 2009. Since then...

Hydrodynamic Characteristics and Salinity Patterns in Estero Bay, Lee County, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Byrne, Michael J.; Gabaldon, Jessica N.

2008-01-01

Estero Bay is an estuary (about 12 miles long and 3 miles wide) on the southwestern Florida coast, with several inlets connecting the bay to the Gulf of Mexico and numerous freshwater tributaries. Continuous stage and salinity data were recorded at eight gaging stations in Estero Bay estuary from October 2001 to September 2005. Continuous water velocity data were recorded at six of these stations for the purpose of measuring discharge. In addition, turbidity data were recorded at four stations, suspended sediment concentration were measured at three stations, and wind measurements were taken at one station. Salinity surveys, within and around Estero Bay, were conducted 15 times from July 2002 to January 2004. The average daily discharge ranged from 35,000 to -34,000 ft3/s (cubic feet per second) at Big Carlos Pass, 10,800 to -11,200 ft3/s at Matanzas Pass, 2,200 to -2,900 ft3/s at Big Hickory Pass, 680 to -700 ft3/s at Mullock Creek, 330 to -370 ft3/s at Estero River, and 190 to -180 ft3/s at Imperial River. Flood tide is expressed as negative discharge and ebb flow as positive discharge. Reduced salinity at Matanzas Pass was negatively correlated (R2 = 0.48) to freshwater discharge from the Caloosahatchee River at Franklin Locks (S-79). Matanzas Pass is hydrologically linked to Hell Peckney Bay; therefore, water-quality problems associated with the Caloosahatchee River also affect Hell Peckney Bay. Rocky Bay was significantly less saline than Coconut Point and Matanzas Pass was significantly less saline than Ostego Bay, based on data from the salinity surveys. The quality-checked and edited continuous data and the salinity maps have been compiled and are stored on the U.S. Geological Survey South Florida Information Access (SOFIA) website (http://sofia.usgs.gov).

Estimation of capture zones and drawdown at the Northwest and West Well Fields, Miami-Dade County, Florida, using an unconstrained Monte Carlo analysis: recent (2004) and proposed conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Brakefield, Linzy K.; Hughes, Joseph D.; Langevin, Christian D.; Chartier, Kevin

2013-01-01

Travel-time capture zones and drawdown for two production well fields, used for drinking-water supply in Miami-Dade County, southeastern Florida, were delineated by the U.S Geological Survey using an unconstrained Monte Carlo analysis. The well fields, designed to supply a combined total of approximately 250 million gallons of water per day, pump from the highly transmissive Biscayne aquifer in the urban corridor between the Everglades and Biscayne Bay. A transient groundwater flow model was developed and calibrated to field data to ensure an acceptable match between simulated and observed values for aquifer heads and net exchange of water between the aquifer and canals. Steady-state conditions were imposed on the transient model and a post-processing backward particle-tracking approach was implemented. Multiple stochastic realizations of horizontal hydraulic conductivity, conductance of canals, and effective porosity were simulated for steady-state conditions representative of dry, average and wet hydrologic conditions to calculate travel-time capture zones of potential source areas of the well fields. Quarry lakes, formed as a product of rock-mining activities, whose effects have previously not been considered in estimation of capture zones, were represented using high hydraulic-conductivity, high-porosity cells, with the bulk hydraulic conductivity of each cell calculated based on estimates of aquifer hydraulic conductivity, lake depths and aquifer thicknesses. A post-processing adjustment, based on calculated residence times using lake outflows and known lake volumes, was utilized to adjust particle endpoints to account for an estimate of residence-time-based mixing of lakes. Drawdown contours of 0.1 and 0.25 foot were delineated for the dry, average, and wet hydrologic conditions as well. In addition, 95-percent confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for the capture zones and drawdown contours to delineate a zone of uncertainty about the median estimates

Entry-Level Placement Scores for the 1996-97 Academic Year.

Science.gov (United States)

Padron, Eduardo J.

This memorandum reviews the implementation of new, state-mandated placement criteria at Florida's Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC). The first section focuses on placement criteria for degree-seeking students, indicating that MDCC uses scores on the Florida College Entry-Level Placement Test for making placement decisions in reading, writing,…

Impact of anthropogenic development on coastal ground-water hydrology in southeastern Florida, 1900-2000

Science.gov (United States)

Renken, Robert A.; Dixon, Joann; Koehmstedt, John A.; Ishman, Scott; Lietz, A.C.; Marella, Richard L.; Telis, Pamela A.; Rodgers, Jeff; Memberg, Steven

2005-01-01

Southeastern Florida is an area that has been subject to widely conflicting anthropogenic stress to the Everglades and coastal ecosystems. This stress is a direct consequence of the 20th century economic competition for limited land and water resources needed to satisfy agricultural development and its expansion, its displacement by burgeoning urban development, and the accompanying growth of the limestone mining industry. The development of a highly controlled water-management system designed to reclaim land for urban and agricultural development has severely impacted the extent, character, and vitality of the historic Everglades and coastal ecosystems. An extensive conveyance system of canals, levees, impoundments, surface- water control structures, and numerous municipal well fields are used to sustain the present-day Everglades hydrologic system, prevent overland flow from moving eastward and flooding urban and agricultural areas, maintain water levels to prevent saltwater intrusion, and provide an adequate water supply. Extractive mining activities expanded considerably in the latter part of the 20th century, largely in response to urban construction needs. Much of the present-day urban-agricultural corridor of southeastern Florida lies within an area that is no more than 15 feet above NGVD 1929 and formerly characterized by freshwater marsh, upland, and saline coastal wetland ecosystems. Miami- Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties have experienced explosive population growth, increasing from less than 4,000 inhabitants in 1900 to more than 5 million in 2000. Ground-water use, the principal source of municipal supply, has increased from about 65 Mgal/d (million gallons per day) obtained from 3 well fields in 1930 to more than 770 Mgal/d obtained from 65 well fields in 1995. Water use for agricultural supply increased from 505 Mgal/d in 1953 to nearly 1,150 Mgal/d in 1988, but has since declined to 764 Mgal/d in 1995, partly as a result of displacement of the

75 FR 57373 - Amendment to Class D Airspace; Miami Opa Locka Airport, FL, and Hollywood, FL

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-21

...This action amends Class D airspace at Opa Locka Airport, Miami, FL; and Hollywood, FL, by correcting the geographic coordinates of the airport to aid in the navigation of our National Airspace System.

Estimating the Cumulative Ecological Effect of Local Scale Landscape Changes in South Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Hogan, Dianna M.; Labiosa, William; Pearlstine, Leonard; Hallac, David; Strong, David; Hearn, Paul; Bernknopf, Richard

2012-01-01

Ecosystem restoration in south Florida is a state and national priority centered on the Everglades wetlands. However, urban development pressures affect the restoration potential and remaining habitat functions of the natural undeveloped areas. Land use (LU) planning often focuses at the local level, but a better understanding of the cumulative effects of small projects at the landscape level is needed to support ecosystem restoration and preservation. The South Florida Ecosystem Portfolio Model (SFL EPM) is a regional LU planning tool developed to help stakeholders visualize LU scenario evaluation and improve communication about regional effects of LU decisions. One component of the SFL EPM is ecological value (EV), which is evaluated through modeled ecological criteria related to ecosystem services using metrics for (1) biodiversity potential, (2) threatened and endangered species, (3) rare and unique habitats, (4) landscape pattern and fragmentation, (5) water quality buffer potential, and (6) ecological restoration potential. In this article, we demonstrate the calculation of EV using two case studies: (1) assessing altered EV in the Biscayne Gateway area by comparing 2004 LU to potential LU in 2025 and 2050, and (2) the cumulative impact of adding limestone mines south of Miami. Our analyses spatially convey changing regional EV resulting from conversion of local natural and agricultural areas to urban, industrial, or extractive use. Different simulated local LU scenarios may result in different alterations in calculated regional EV. These case studies demonstrate methods that may facilitate evaluation of potential future LU patterns and incorporate EV into decision making.

Childhood cancer mortality in relation to the St Lucie nuclear power station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boice, John D Jr; Mumma, Michael T; Blot, William J; Heath, Clark W Jr

2005-01-01

An unusual county-wide excess of childhood cancers of brain and other nervous tissue in the late 1990s in St Lucie County, Florida, prompted the Florida Department of Health to conduct a case-control study within the county assessing residential chemical exposures. No clear associations were found, but claims were then made that the release of radioactive substances such as strontium 90 from the St Lucie nuclear power station, which began operating in 1976, might have played a role. To test the plausibility of this hypothesis, we extended by 17 years a previous study of county mortality conducted by the National Cancer Institute. Rates of total cancer, leukaemia and cancer of brain and other nervous tissue in children and across all ages in St Lucie County were evaluated with respect to the years before and after the nuclear power station began operation and contrasted with rates in two similar counties in Florida (Polk and Volusia). Over the prolonged period 1950-2000, no unusual patterns of childhood cancer mortality were found for St Lucie County as a whole. In particular, no unusual patterns of childhood cancer mortality were seen in relation to the start-up of the St Lucie nuclear power station in 1976. Further, there were no significant differences in mortality between the study and comparison counties for any cancer in the time period after the power station was in operation. Relative rates for all childhood cancers and for childhood leukaemia were higher before the nuclear facility began operating than after, while rates of brain and other nervous tissue cancer were slightly lower in St Lucie County than in the two comparison counties for both time periods. Although definitive conclusions cannot be drawn from descriptive studies, these data provide no support for the hypothesis that the operation of the St Lucie nuclear power station has adversely affected the cancer mortality experience of county residents

Regional-scale impact of storm surges on groundwaters of Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico after 2017 hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Jose, Maria

Science.gov (United States)

Sellier, W. H.; Dürr, H. H.

2017-12-01

Hurricanes and related storm surges have devastating effects on near-shore infrastructure and above-ground installations. They also heavily impact groundwater resources, with potentially millions of people dependant on these resources as a freshwater source. Destructions of casings and direct incursions of saline and/or polluted waters have been widely observed. It is uncertain how extensive the effects are on underground water systems, especially in limestone karst areas such as Florida and Puerto Rico. Here, we report regional-scale water level changes in groundwater systems of Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico for the 2017 Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria. We collected regional scale data from the USGS Waterdata portal. Puerto Rico shows the strongest increase in groundwater levels in wells during Hurricane Maria, with less reaction for the preceding storms Irma and Jose. Increases in water levels range from 0.5 to 11m, with maximum storm surges in Puerto Rico around 3m. These wells are located throughout Puerto Rico, on the coast and inland. In Florida, most wells that show a response during Hurricane Irma are located in the Miami region. Wells located on the west coast show smaller responses with the exception of one well located directly on Hurricane Irma's track. These wells show an increase of 0.2 to 1.7m. In Texas, wells located in proximity to Hurricane Harvey's track show an increase in water level. The effect of groundwater level increases is not limited to the Texas coast, but inland as well. An increase between 0.03 and 2.9m is seen. Storm surges for both Florida and Texas have ranged from 1.8-3.7m maximum. We discuss the findings in the context of local and regional geology and hydrogeology (presence of connected aquifer systems, faulting, presence of carbonate/karst systems etc.).

Cobia (Rachycentron canadum hatchery-to-market aquaculture technology: recent advances at the University of Miami Experimental Hatchery (UMEH Tecnologia da criação de beijupirá (Rachycentron canadum: recentes avanços do Laboratório de Larvicultura Experimental da Universidade de MIAMI (UMEH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Benetti

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Among warm-water marine fishes, cobia is one of the best aquaculture candidate species in the world. Currently there are commercial culture operations in several Asian countries and the industry has started developing elsewhere, including the Western Central Atlantic region. Significant research has been conducted at the University of Miami's Aquaculture Program / University of Miami Experimental Hatchery (UMEH during the last eight years, involving research to develop and optimize advanced technology to demonstrate the viability of raising hatchery-reared cobia in collaboration with the private sector. This paper reviews some of this recent advances for the development of Hatchery-to-Market Aquaculture Technology for commercial production of cobia.Dentre os peixes marinhos de águas quentes, o bijupirá é um dos grandes candidatos para a aquacultura no mundo. Atualmente, existem operações comerciais em vários países Asiáticos e a indústria iniciou suas operações em outros locais, incluindo a região do Atlântico Central. Pesquisas têm sido realizadas no "University of Miami's Aquaculture Program / University of Miami Experimental Hatchery (UMEH" durante os últimos oito anos envolvendo o desenvolvimento e otimização de tecnologia avançada para demonstrar a viabilidade da criação de bijupirá com colaboração com o setor privado. Este artigo revisa alguns destes avanços recentes para o desenvolvimento da tecnologia da larvicultura para o mercado para a produção comercial de bijupirá.

Condom use preferences among Latinos in Miami-Dade: emerging themes concerning men’s and women’s culturally-ascribed attitudes and behaviours

Science.gov (United States)

Sastre, Francisco; De La Rosa, Mario; Ibanez, Gladys E.; Whitt, Elaine; Martin, Steven S.; O’Connell, Daniel J.

2014-01-01

Among Latinos, cultural values such as machismo and marianismo may promote inconsistent condom use representing a significant risk factor for HIV infection. Yet, there continues to be a need for additional research to explore the influence these cultural values have on Latino men and women’s condom use attitudes and behaviours given increasing HIV rates of HIV infection among Latinos. The purpose of this study was to explore further Latino traditional culturally-ascribed attitudes and behaviour for emerging themes toward condom use among a diverse group of adult Latino men and women living in Miami-Dade County, Florida (USA). The study used a qualitative study-design and collected data from sixteen focus groups with a total of 67 Latino men and women. Finding from the focus groups described attitudes and behaviours that counter traditional gender roles towards sex and expected sexual behaviours informed by machismo and marianismo. Common attitudes noted in the study include men’s classification of women as clean/dirty to determine condom use and women’s assertiveness during sexual encounters negotiating condom use-in favour and against it. As the findings of this study suggest, the process differ greatly between Latino men and women, having an impact on the risk behaviours in which each engage. PMID:25530309

78 FR 6155 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Miami International Securities Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing and...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-29

... virtually impossible for any exchange to identify, and thus assess fees such as an ORF on, each executing... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-68711; File No. SR-MIAX-2013-01] Self-Regulatory Organizations; Miami International Securities Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate...

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Full Text Available ... Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC, 1/15/2009) Pituitary Tumors Transnasal Endoscopic ... Surgical Removal of the Thyroid Gland (Baptist Health South Florida, Miami, FL, 2/01/ ...

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Full Text Available ... Health South Florida, Miami, FL, 2/01/2012) Eyes and Vision Glaucoma Innovations in Pediatric Glaucoma Surgery (UAB Callahan Eye Hospital, Birmingham, AL, 3/17/2014) Female Reproductive ...

Surgery for Intractable Temporal Lobe Epilepsy in Young Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J Gordon Millichap

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The results of temporal resection for medically intractable epilepsy in 20 children less than age 5 years with at least 2 years follow-up are reported from Miami Children's Hospital, Florida.

Automation of Precise Time Reference Stations (PTRS)

Science.gov (United States)

Wheeler, P. J.

1985-04-01

The U.S. Naval Observatory is presently engaged in a program of automating precise time stations (PTS) and precise time reference stations (PTBS) by using a versatile mini-computer controlled data acquisition system (DAS). The data acquisition system is configured to monitor locally available PTTI signals such as LORAN-C, OMEGA, and/or the Global Positioning System. In addition, the DAS performs local standard intercomparison. Computer telephone communications provide automatic data transfer to the Naval Observatory. Subsequently, after analysis of the data, results and information can be sent back to the precise time reference station to provide automatic control of remote station timing. The DAS configuration is designed around state of the art standard industrial high reliability modules. The system integration and software are standardized but allow considerable flexibility to satisfy special local requirements such as stability measurements, performance evaluation and printing of messages and certificates. The DAS operates completely independently and may be queried or controlled at any time with a computer or terminal device (control is protected for use by authorized personnel only). Such DAS equipped PTS are operational in Hawaii, California, Texas and Florida.

Calcification rates of the massive coral Siderastrea siderea and crustose coralline algae along the Florida Keys (USA) outer-reef tract

Science.gov (United States)

Kuffner, I.B.; Hickey, T.D.; Morrison, J.M.

2013-01-01

Coral reefs are degrading on a global scale, and rates of reef-organism calcification are predicted to decline due to ocean warming and acidification. Systematic measurements of calcification over space and time are necessary to detect change resulting from environmental stressors. We established a network of calcification monitoring stations at four managed reefs along the outer Florida Keys Reef Tract (FKRT) from Miami to the Dry Tortugas. Eighty colonies (in two sequential sets of 40) of the reef-building coral, Siderastrea siderea, were transplanted to fixed apparatus that allowed repetitive detachment for buoyant weighing every 6 months. Algal-recruitment tiles were also deployed during each weighing interval to measure net calcification of the crustose coralline algal (CCA) community. Coral-calcification rates were an order of magnitude greater than those of CCA. Rates of coral calcification were seasonal (summer calcification was 53% greater than winter), and corals in the Dry Tortugas calcified 48% faster than those at the other three sites. Linear extension rates were also highest in the Dry Tortugas, whereas percent area of the coral skeletons excavated by bioeroding fauna was lowest. The spatial patterns in net coral calcification revealed here correlate well with Holocene reef thickness along the FKRT and, in part, support the “inimical waters hypothesis” proposed by Ginsburg, Hudson, and Shinn almost 50 yrs ago to explain reef development in this region. Due to the homogeneity in coral-calcification rates among the three main Keys sites, we recommend refinement of this hypothesis and suggest that water-quality variables (e.g., carbonate mineral saturation state, dissolved and particulate organic matter, light attenuation) be monitored alongside calcification in future studies. Our results demonstrate that our calcification monitoring network presents a feasible and worthwhile approach to quantifying potential impacts of ocean acidification

Calcification rates of the massive coral Siderastrea siderea and crustose coralline algae along the Florida Keys (USA) outer-reef tract

Science.gov (United States)

Kuffner, I. B.; Hickey, T. D.; Morrison, J. M.

2013-12-01

Coral reefs are degrading on a global scale, and rates of reef-organism calcification are predicted to decline due to ocean warming and acidification. Systematic measurements of calcification over space and time are necessary to detect change resulting from environmental stressors. We established a network of calcification monitoring stations at four managed reefs along the outer Florida Keys Reef Tract (FKRT) from Miami to the Dry Tortugas. Eighty colonies (in two sequential sets of 40) of the reef-building coral, Siderastrea siderea, were transplanted to fixed apparatus that allowed repetitive detachment for buoyant weighing every 6 months. Algal-recruitment tiles were also deployed during each weighing interval to measure net calcification of the crustose coralline algal (CCA) community. Coral-calcification rates were an order of magnitude greater than those of CCA. Rates of coral calcification were seasonal (summer calcification was 53 % greater than winter), and corals in the Dry Tortugas calcified 48 % faster than those at the other three sites. Linear extension rates were also highest in the Dry Tortugas, whereas percent area of the coral skeletons excavated by bioeroding fauna was lowest. The spatial patterns in net coral calcification revealed here correlate well with Holocene reef thickness along the FKRT and, in part, support the "inimical waters hypothesis" proposed by Ginsburg, Hudson, and Shinn almost 50 yrs ago to explain reef development in this region. Due to the homogeneity in coral-calcification rates among the three main Keys sites, we recommend refinement of this hypothesis and suggest that water-quality variables (e.g., carbonate mineral saturation state, dissolved and particulate organic matter, light attenuation) be monitored alongside calcification in future studies. Our results demonstrate that our calcification monitoring network presents a feasible and worthwhile approach to quantifying potential impacts of ocean acidification, warming

Tampa Electric Company Polk Power Station IGCC project: Project status

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McDaniel, J.E.; Carlson, M.R.; Hurd, R.; Pless, D.E.; Grant, M.D. [Tampa Electric Co., FL (United States)

1997-12-31

The Tampa Electric Company Polk Power Station is a nominal 250 MW (net) Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plant located to the southeast of Tampa, Florida in Polk County, Florida. This project is being partially funded under the Department of Energy`s Clean Coal Technology Program pursuant to a Round II award. The Polk Power Station uses oxygen-blown, entrained-flow IGCC technology licensed from Texaco Development Corporation to demonstrate significant reductions of SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x} emissions when compared to existing and future conventional coal-fired power plants. In addition, this project demonstrates the technical feasibility of commercial scale IGCC and Hot Gas Clean Up (HGCU) technology. The Polk Power Station achieved ``first fire`` of the gasification system on schedule in mid-July, 1996. Since that time, significant advances have occurred in the operation of the entire IGCC train. This paper addresses the operating experiences which occurred in the start-up and shakedown phase of the plant. Also, with the plant being declared in commercial operation as of September 30, 1996, the paper discusses the challenges encountered in the early phases of commercial operation. Finally, the future plans for improving the reliability and efficiency of the Unit in the first quarter of 1997 and beyond, as well as plans for future alternate fuel test burns, are detailed. The presentation features an up-to-the-minute update on actual performance parameters achieved by the Polk Power Station. These parameters include overall Unit capacity, heat rate, and availability. In addition, the current status of the start-up activities for the HGCU portion of the plant is discussed.

Higher Education's Influence on the Confessional Practices of Roman Catholic Laity in the Greater Miami Area

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrari, Joseph L.

2013-01-01

This qualitative phenomenological study of 20 Roman Catholic laypersons in the Greater Miami area investigated the phenomenon of transformation of confessional practice as a result of the undergraduate educational experience. By searching for meaning in each individual's story, two themes or factors and six sub themes emerged. The themes were…

77 FR 20947 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Listing of the Miami Blue Butterfly as Endangered...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-06

... from historical collections. Taxonomy The Miami blue belongs to the family Lycaenidae (Leach... sources (see Taxonomy). We note that several Web sites (e.g., Butterflies of America, Catalog of the... collection, vandalism, disturbance, fire, and other harm from humans. One commenter, who agreed with our...

The Divisional Approach to Achieving Hospital Improvement Goals

Science.gov (United States)

Cortazzo, Arnold D.; Allen, Robert M.

1971-01-01

The divisional or horizontal approach, rather than the traditional or vertical model, was employed in improving the major organizations and programatic and service structure of a residential facility for retardates, Sunland Training Center (Miami, Florida). (KW)

Florida sinkhole index

OpenAIRE

Spencer, Steven; Lane, Ed.

1995-01-01

The following data were compiled from the Florida Sinkhole Research Institute data base. That database, which contains approximately 1900 sinkholes, is available from the Florida Geological Survey upon request. The data are arranged alphabetically by county. The first two digits of the identification number represents the county. These numbers correspond to the Florida Department of Transportation county numbering system. Following the county number are three numbers which represe...

Change In Minimum Temperature As A Response To Land Cover Change In South Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Kandel, H. P.; Melesse, A. M.

2012-12-01

Replacement of higher evapotranspirative surface materials such as water and vegetation cover by other materials such as buildings, roads, and pavements increases the Bowen's ratio from about 0.5-2.0 in rural to about ≈ 5.0 in urban areas resulting in higher surface and near surface atmospheric temperatures in the urban areas (Taha, 1997). This effect is intensified by low emissivity surfaces of the urban covers storing more heat energy during day time, but emitting less during night compared to the energy emitted by rural covers causing higher night time temperatures in urban centers, an effect called Urban Heat Island (UHI). South Florida has undergone tremendous land cover change from its pre-drainage vegetated and wetlands to post drainage agricultural and urban lands, especially after late 20th century. The objective of this study was to simultaneously analyze the land use/ land cover change and the rural/ urban minimum temperatures in south Florida for the period representing pre and post drainage states. The result shows urban sprawl increased from 8% at the beginning of the analysis period to about 14% at the end. Green vegetated areas, shrubs, and forests are found to be declined. The minimum temperature is found increased as maximum as 2°F in the urbanized stations, which remained constant or shows negligible increase in rural stations. The study dictates further micro level scrutiny in order to reach a conclusion on the development of UHI in south Florida. Key words: Bowen's ratio, emissivity, urban heat island

The biosphere: Problems and solutions; Proceedings of the Miami International Symposium on the Biosphere, Miami Beach, FL, April 23, 24, 1984

Science.gov (United States)

Veziroglu, T. N.

The objective of the Miami International Symposium on the Biosphere was to provide a forum for the presentation of the latest research findings on the environmental effects of human activities. The topics discussed are related to biosphere reserves, environmental aspects of hydrocarbon fuels, radioactivity and nuclear waste, land management, acid rains, water quality, water resources, coastal resources management, the pollution of rivers, industrial waste, economic development and the environment, health hazards and solutions, endangered species, environmentally compatible systems, space pollution, and global considerations. Attention is given to questions regarding global security and sustainable development, environethics as a global strategy for environmental quality, a gestalt approach to the environment, potential indicators for monitoring biosphere reserves, a review of regional impacts associated with the development of U.S. synthetic fuel resources, water resources in the Soviet Union, and pollution-free pesticides.

Zika Virus: Obstetric and Pediatric Anesthesia Considerations.

Science.gov (United States)

Tutiven, Jacqueline L; Pruden, Benjamin T; Banks, James S; Stevenson, Mario; Birnbach, David J

2017-06-01

As of November 2016, the Florida Department of Health (FDH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed more than 4000 travel-related Zika virus (ZIKV) infections in the United States with >700 of those in Florida. There have been 139 cases of locally acquired infection, all occurring in Miami, Florida. Within the US territories (eg, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands), >30,000 cases of ZIKV infection have been reported. The projected number of individuals at risk for ZIKV infection in the Caribbean and Latin America approximates 5 million. Similar to Dengue and Chikungunya viruses, ZIKV is spread to humans by infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, through travel-associated local transmission, via sexual contact, and through blood transfusions. South Florida is an epicenter for ZIKV infection in the United States and the year-round warm climate along with an abundance of mosquito vectors that can harbor the flavivirus raise health care concerns. ZIKV infection is generally mild with clinical manifestations of fever, rash, conjunctivitis, and arthralgia. Of greatest concern, however, is growing evidence for the relationship between ZIKV infection of pregnant women and increased incidence of abnormal pregnancies and congenital abnormalities in the newborn, now medically termed ZIKA Congenital Syndrome. Federal health officials are observing 899 confirmed Zika-positive pregnancies and the FDH is currently monitoring 110 pregnant women with evidence of Zika infection. The University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital is uniquely positioned just north of downtown Miami and within the vicinity of Liberty City, Little Haiti, and Miami Beach, which are currently "hot spots" for Zika virus exposure and transmissions. As the FDH works fervently to prevent a Zika epidemic in the region, health care providers at the University of Miami and Jackson Memorial Hospital prepare for the clinical spectrum of ZIKV effects as well as the safe perioperative care of the

Objective Lightning Probability Forecasts for East-Central Florida Airports

Science.gov (United States)

Crawford, Winfred C.

2013-01-01

The forecasters at the National Weather Service in Melbourne, FL, (NWS MLB) identified a need to make more accurate lightning forecasts to help alleviate delays due to thunderstorms in the vicinity of several commercial airports in central Florida at which they are responsible for issuing terminal aerodrome forecasts. Such forecasts would also provide safer ground operations around terminals, and would be of value to Center Weather Service Units serving air traffic controllers in Florida. To improve the forecast, the AMU was tasked to develop an objective lightning probability forecast tool for the airports using data from the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN). The resulting forecast tool is similar to that developed by the AMU to support space launch operations at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) for use by the 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) in previous tasks (Lambert and Wheeler 2005, Lambert 2007). The lightning probability forecasts are valid for the time periods and areas needed by the NWS MLB forecasters in the warm season months, defined in this task as May-September.

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Center, Tucson, AZ, 08/20/2015) Lung Cancer Robotic-Assisted Surgery: Lung Resection (Wake Forest University Baptist ... Health South Florida, Miami, FL, 02/03/2014) Robotic Prostatectomy (St. Francis Hospital, Greenville, SC, 04/10/ ...

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Full Text Available ... Health South Florida, Miami, FL, 2/01/2012) Children and Teenagers Circumcision Circumcision (Broward Health Coral Springs, ... Birth Defects Genetic Brain Disorders Treating Moyamoya Disease (Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA, 6/08/2010) Injuries ...

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Full Text Available ... Florida, Miami, FL, 2/01/2012) Eyes and Vision Glaucoma Innovations in Pediatric Glaucoma Surgery (UAB Callahan ... Special Surgery, New York, NY, 12/11/2013) Computer Guided Knee Replacement (Broward Health North Medical Center, ...

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Full Text Available ... Health South Florida, Miami, FL, 2/01/2012) Eyes and Vision Glaucoma Innovations in Pediatric Glaucoma Surgery ( ... 10/28/2010) Knee System Utilizing Personalized Solutions Instrumentation (Woodwinds Health Campus, Woodbury, MN, 12/13/2013) ...

KSC ground operations planning for Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Lyon, J. R.; Revesz, W., Jr.

1993-01-01

At the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, processing facilities are being built and activated to support the processing, checkout, and launch of Space Station elements. The generic capability of these facilities will be utilized to support resupply missions for payloads, life support services, and propellants for the 30-year life of the program. Special Ground Support Equipment (GSE) is being designed for Space Station hardware special handling requirements, and a Test, Checkout, and Monitoring System (TCMS) is under development to verify that the flight elements are ready for launch. The facilities and equipment used at KSC, along with the testing required to accomplish the mission, are described in detail to provide an understanding of the complexity of operations at the launch site. Assessments of hardware processing flows through KSC are being conducted to minimize the processing flow times for each hardware element. Baseline operations plans and the changes made to improve operations and reduce costs are described, recognizing that efficient ground operations are a major key to success of the Space Station.

Ground-water flow in the surficial aquifer system and potential movement of contaminants from selected waste-disposal sites at Naval Station Mayport, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Halford, K.J.

1998-01-01

Ground-water flow through the surficial aquifer system at Naval Station Mayport near Jacksonville, Florida, was simulated with a two-layer finite-difference model as part of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey. The model was calibrated to 229 water-level measurements from 181 wells during three synoptic surveys (July 17, 1995; July 31, 1996; and October 24, 1996). A quantifiable understanding of ground-water flow through the surficial aquifer was needed to evaluate remedial-action alternatives under consideration by the Naval Station Mayport to control the possible movement of contaminants from sites on the station. Multi-well aquifer tests, single-well tests, and slug tests were conducted to estimate the hydraulic properties of the surficial aquifer system, which was divided into three geohydrologic units?an S-zone and an I-zone separated by a marsh-muck confining unit. The recharge rate was estimated to range from 4 to 15 inches per year (95 percent confidence limits), based on a chloride-ratio method. Most of the simulations following model calibration were based on a recharge rate of 8 inches per year to unirrigated pervious areas. The advective displacement of saline pore water during the last 200 years was simulated using a particle-tracking routine, MODPATH, applied to calibrated steady-state and transient models of the Mayport peninsula. The surficial aquifer system at Naval Station Mayport has been modified greatly by natural and anthropogenic forces so that the freshwater flow system is expanding and saltwater is being flushed from the system. A new MODFLOW package (VAR1) was written to simulate the temporal variation of hydraulic properties caused by construction activities at Naval Station Mayport. The transiently simulated saltwater distribution after 200 years of displacement described the chloride distribution in the I-zone (determined from measurements made during 1993 and 1996) better than the steady-state simulation. The

HIV seroprevalence across the rural/urban continuum.

Science.gov (United States)

McCoy, C B; Metsch, L R; McCoy, H V; Weatherby, N L

1999-01-01

While the first decade of the AIDS epidemic was characterized by high prevalence rates of AIDS infection in urban areas, there is increasing recognition of the spread of HIV into rural communities in the United States. Data from the Miami CARES cohort collected on 3,555 chronic drug users from 1988 to 1994 provide a unique opportunity to assess sociodemographic characteristics, drug-using behaviors and HIV risk behaviors related to HIV seropositivity in three communities across the rural-urban continuum: Miami, Florida; Belle Glade, Florida and Immokalee, Florida. The three very different communities studied demonstrate that HIV is no respecter of ecological site. The spread of HIV between areas and within areas is specifically correlated with the risk factors including injection drug use, use of crack cocaine, exchange of sex for money, and the rates for sexually transmitted diseases. All of these factors are shown to increase the risk of HIV so that the constellation of these practices helps determine the differential rates and spread of HIV in the three different areas.

Genomic epidemiology reveals multiple introductions of Zika virus into the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Grubaugh, Nathan D.; Ladner, Jason T.; Kraemer, Moritz U. G.; Dudas, Gytis; Tan, Amanda L.; Gangavarapu, Karthik; Wiley, Michael R.; White, Stephen; Thézé, Julien; Magnani, Diogo M.; Prieto, Karla; Reyes, Daniel; Bingham, Andrea M.; Paul, Lauren M.; Robles-Sikisaka, Refugio; Oliveira, Glenn; Pronty, Darryl; Barcellona, Carolyn M.; Metsky, Hayden C.; Baniecki, Mary Lynn; Barnes, Kayla G.; Chak, Bridget; Freije, Catherine A.; Gladden-Young, Adrianne; Gnirke, Andreas; Luo, Cynthia; Macinnis, Bronwyn; Matranga, Christian B.; Park, Daniel J.; Qu, James; Schaffner, Stephen F.; Tomkins-Tinch, Christopher; West, Kendra L.; Winnicki, Sarah M.; Wohl, Shirlee; Yozwiak, Nathan L.; Quick, Joshua; Fauver, Joseph R.; Khan, Kamran; Brent, Shannon E.; Reiner, Robert C.; Lichtenberger, Paola N.; Ricciardi, Michael J.; Bailey, Varian K.; Watkins, David I.; Cone, Marshall R.; Kopp, Edgar W.; Hogan, Kelly N.; Cannons, Andrew C.; Jean, Reynald; Monaghan, Andrew J.; Garry, Robert F.; Loman, Nicholas J.; Faria, Nuno R.; Porcelli, Mario C.; Vasquez, Chalmers; Nagle, Elyse R.; Cummings, Derek A. T.; Stanek, Danielle; Rambaut, Andrew; Sanchez-Lockhart, Mariano; Sabeti, Pardis C.; Gillis, Leah D.; Michael, Scott F.; Bedford, Trevor; Pybus, Oliver G.; Isern, Sharon; Palacios, Gustavo; Andersen, Kristian G.

2017-06-01

Zika virus (ZIKV) is causing an unprecedented epidemic linked to severe congenital abnormalities. In July 2016, mosquito-borne ZIKV transmission was reported in the continental United States; since then, hundreds of locally acquired infections have been reported in Florida. To gain insights into the timing, source, and likely route(s) of ZIKV introduction, we tracked the virus from its first detection in Florida by sequencing ZIKV genomes from infected patients and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. We show that at least 4 introductions, but potentially as many as 40, contributed to the outbreak in Florida and that local transmission is likely to have started in the spring of 2016—several months before its initial detection. By analysing surveillance and genetic data, we show that ZIKV moved among transmission zones in Miami. Our analyses show that most introductions were linked to the Caribbean, a finding corroborated by the high incidence rates and traffic volumes from the region into the Miami area. Our study provides an understanding of how ZIKV initiates transmission in new regions.

Levels for Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number Using Procedural Content Generations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph Alexander Brown

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Procedural Content Generation is the automatic process for generating game content in order to allow for a decrease in developer resources while adding to the replayability of a digital game. It has been found to be highly effective as a method when utilized in rougelike games, of which Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number shares a number of factors. Search based procedural content, in this case, a genetic algorithm, allows for the creation of levels which meet with a number of designer set requirements. The generator proposed provides for an automatic creation of game content for a commercially available game: the level design, object placement, and enemy placement.

Assessing air quality impacts of managed lanes : summary.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Researchers at the National Center for Transit Research, University of South Florida, recently studied a segment of I-95 between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami to investigate the impacts of high-occupancy/toll (HOT) lanes on air quality. The project simula...

Society of Gynecologic Surgeons

Science.gov (United States)

... Course | Miami, FL | Nov 30 - Dec 2 Annual Meeting | Orlando, FL | March 11-14, 2018 Donate Now FPRN® ... gynsurgery REGISTRATION NOW OPEN: 2018 SGS Annual Scientific Meeting - March 11-14 - Orlando, Florida REGISTER NOW: 26th Annual SGS Winter PG ...

78 FR 43881 - Florida Petroleum Reprocessors Site, Davie, Broward County, Florida; Notice of Settlement

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-22

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL9836-2; CERCLA-04-2013-3758] Florida Petroleum Reprocessors... entered into a settlement with Jap. Tech, Inc. concerning the Florida Petroleum Reprocessors Site located.... Painter. Submit your comments by Site name Florida Petroleum Reprocesssors Site by one of the following...

Homeland Security in Absentia: Policing Miami in the Era of the New U.S.- Cuba Relationship

Science.gov (United States)

2017-03-01

beyond.”80 It also gave Miami “human skills and hemispheric connections” to allow the new arrivals to succeed.81 The political influence also...skyrocketed, as “the result of an admixture of the entrepreneurial and professional skills of early Cuban emigres, access to capital, hard work, and a...trade opportunities) • Capacity building (to strengthen governance).166 164 Heather Helper

Rebel with a Cause: A School Board Member Calls for Reform in Miami-Dade County Public Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Manning, Tom

2011-01-01

This case describes the experience of a new school board member in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Marta Perez, as she discovers a wide range of ethical and management problems in the school district and attempts to deal with them. Layered throughout the case are challenges pertaining to the school board's roles and responsibilities,…

Florida Energy Assurance Plan

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Niescja E.; Murtagh, William; Guthrie, Kevin; Nykyri, Katariina; Radasky, William A.; Senkowicz, Eric

2012-08-01

This spring, Florida held the nation's first statewide emergency preparedness training and exercises geared specifically to the aftermath of severe geomagnetic events. Funded by the State of Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) via a Department of Energy grant and held in collaboration with Watch House International, Inquesta Corporation, and the Florida Institute of Technology, the 17-19 April 2012 workshop had 99 on-site attendees in an oceanfront hotel in Melbourne, Florida, as well as 16 over live Web streaming. The workshop was the capstone to a three-month season of 21 regional space weather training sessions and workshops serving 386 attendees in total.

Unknowable Protagonists and Narrative Delirium in American Psycho and Hotline Miami: A Case Study in Character Engagement Across the Media

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caracciolo Marco

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Empathetic perspective-taking is one of the main psychological mechanisms behind audiences’ engagement with narrative (Coplan 2004; Eder 2006. What happens, however, when a story confronts with a character whose emotions, motivations, and beliefs we fail to understand? This paper examines the phenomenon of “unreadable minds” (Abbott 2008 from a transmedial perspective: how do audiences relate to a character who defies all attempts at making sense of his or her identity despite being the main focus of a narrative? My case studies - the novel American Psycho (1991 by Bret Easton Ellis and the video game Hotline Miami (Dennaton Games 2012 - foreground two such characters: by calling attention to the opaqueness of their protagonists, they heighten the audiences’ interest in - and puzzlement at - their identity. In my comparative analysis I explore two dimensions that contribute to audiences’ sense of unknowability of the protagonists: the hallucinations and delusions experienced by both characters (an instance of what Bernaerts [2009] calls “narrative delirium”; and their extreme violence, which raises unanswered ethical questions. While bringing out the continuities between American Psycho and Hotline Miami, I also highlight how the interactivity of Hotline Miami makes the central paradox of relating to an unknowable character even more salient for the audience. In this way, I show that the video game medium has reached a level of interpretive complexity that can stand the comparison with literary fiction.

Interannual variability in seagrass carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes from the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, a preliminary study

Science.gov (United States)

Fourqurean, J. W.; Fourqurean, J. W.; Anderson, W. T.; Anderson, W. T.

2001-12-01

The shallow marine waters surrounding the southern tip of Florida provide an ideal environment for seagrasses, which are the most common benthic community in the region. Yet, these communities are susceptible to a variety of anthropogenic disturbances, especially changes in water quality caused by an increase the nutrient flux to the near shore environment. In order to better understand the carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratio in marine plants, an extensive times series analysis was constructed from quarterly sampling of Thalassia testudinum (the dominate species in the study area) from 1996 through 1998. Sites for study where selected from permanent stations within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS), from both sides of the Florida Keys - two stations on the bay side and two stations on the reef side. These data will also help to constrain elements of the carbon and nitrogen cycles affecting this region. The data analyzed over the three year study period show unique cyclic trends associated with seasonal changes in primary productivity and potentially changes in the nitrogen and carbon pools. Additionally, the analysis of our time series indicates that isotope food web studies need to take into account spatial and temporal changes when evaluating trophic levels. The mean carbon and nitrogen isotope values of T. testudinum from all 4 stations vary respectively from -7.2 per mil to -10.41 and 1.1 per mil to 2.2 per mil (n = 48). However, certain stations displayed anonymously depleted nitrogen isotope values, values as low as -1.2 per mil. These values potentially indicated that biogeochmical processes like N fixation, ammonification and denitrification cause regional pattern in the isotopic composition of the source DIN. Both carbon and nitrogen isotopes displayed seasonal enrichment-depletion trends, with maximum enrichment occurring during the summer. The overall seasonal variation for carbon 13 from the different stations ranged from 1 per mil to

Rationale and design of the Miami Healthy Heart Initiative: a randomized controlled study of a community health worker intervention among Latino patients with poorly controlled diabetes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carrasquillo O

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Olveen Carrasquillo,1,2 Elizabeth Patberg,1 Yisel Alonzo,1 Hua Li,2 Sonjia Kenya1 1Department of Medicine, 2Public Health Sciences, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus disproportionately affects the Latino community. Latinos with diabetes are also less likely to have adequate control of cardiovascular risk factors such as cholesterol and blood pressure. Community health workers (CHWs are increasingly being used to address various health disparity conditions, including diabetes. However, evidence of their effectiveness from randomized controlled trials is limited. Methods: The Miami Health Heart Initiative is a randomized controlled trial of 300 Latino patients with diabetes. Patients with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c ≥8.0% were recruited from Miami-Dade's public hospital system. At baseline, all patients underwent phlebotomy, physical examination, and a structured 90-minute research interview. They were then randomized to either usual care or a CHW intervention called Cariño. For participants in the Cariño arm of the study, CHW services included assistance with nonmedical social services, health education, and patient navigation in which the CHWs serve as a bridge between patients and the health care system. These services were delivered through home visits, phone calls, and group visits. At 12 months, all subjects had a follow-up examination. The primary outcomes at 1 year are changes in systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein, and HbA1c. Secondary outcomes include medication adherence, medication intensification, diabetes self-efficacy, physical activity, and self-reported fruit and vegetable intake. Discussion: The Miami Healthy Heart Initiative is one of the first rigorously conducted randomized controlled trials to provide evidence on the impact of CHWs on diabetes intermediate outcomes among Latinos. If the data support our primary hypotheses, the study would lend added

Phase I of the Kissimmee River restoration project, Florida, USA: impacts of construction on water quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Colangelo, David J; Jones, Bradley L

2005-03-01

Phase I of the Kissimmee River restoration project included backfilling of 12 km of canal and restoring flow through 24 km of continuous river channel. We quantified the effects of construction activities on four water quality parameters (turbidity, total phosphorus flow-weighted concentration, total phosphorus load and dissolved oxygen concentration). Data were collected at stations upstream and downstream of the construction and at four stations within the construction zone to determine if canal backfilling and construction of 2.4 km of new river channel would negatively impact local and downstream water quality. Turbidity levels at the downstream station were elevated for approximately 2 weeks during the one and a half year construction period, but never exceeded the Florida Department of Environmental Protection construction permit criteria. Turbidity levels at stations within the construction zone were high at certain times. Flow-weighted concentration of total phosphorus at the downstream station was slightly higher than the upstream station during construction, but low discharge limited downstream transport of phosphorus. Total phosphorus loads at the upstream and downstream stations were similar and loading to Lake Okeechobee was not significantly affected by construction. Mean water column dissolved oxygen concentrations at all sampling stations were similar during construction.

Edo Journal of Counselling: Editorial Policies

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Benue State, Nigeria Professor Adriana G. McEachern Florida Inter. University, Miami. USA. Professor Bryan Hiebert University of Calgary, Alberta. Canada Professor Beatrz Malik Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED) Madrid, Spain Professor Jim Athanasou University of Technology, Sydney. Australia.

Summary of First Regional Workshop on Dredging, Beach Nourishment, and Birds on the South Atlantic Coast

Science.gov (United States)

2006-09-01

lagoons . Several examples of poor beach nourishment operations exist. First, in Miami Beach, Florida, quartz sand was replaced with carbonate sands, which...fisheries (through viable clam and baitworm populations)? (A nearby spatial reference area was selected for a control.) Macroinvertebrates were sampled

78 FR 66008 - Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-04

... 12 cities: Atlanta, Georgia; Baltimore, Maryland; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; District of Columbia; Houston, Texas; Los Angeles, California; Miami, Florida; New York City, New York; Philadelphia... advertisements displayed on social networking sites such as Facebook and dating and sex-seeking sites such as...

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Springs, Coral Springs, FL, 3/31/2014) Prostate Cancer Robot Assisted Prostatectomy (Baptist Health South Florida, Miami, FL, 02/03/2014) Robotic Prostatectomy (St. Francis Hospital, Greenville, SC, 04/10/2013) Testicular Disorders Varicocele Surgery (Beth Israel Medical Center, New ...

Photography and Oral History as a Means of Chronicling the Homeless in Miami: The "StreetWays" Project

Science.gov (United States)

Provenzo, Eugene F.; Ameen, Edward; Bengochea, Alain; Doorn, Kristen; Pontier, Ryan; Sembiante, Sabrina

2011-01-01

This article describes the use of Photography and Oral History research methods as part of a collaborative research project on homelessness in Miami. Issues involving the use of documentary photography and oral history as a means of creating greater social awareness in the general public are explored, as well as broader issues of Social Justice.…

'Florida Beauty' strawberry

Science.gov (United States)

‘Florida Beauty’ strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) originated from a 2012 cross made by the Queensland breeding program between Queensland Australia selection 2010-119 (female parent) and ‘Florida Radiance’ (male parent). Selection 2010-119 was chosen as a parent for its excellent fruit shape and fl...

Classification of High Spatial Resolution, Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Imagery of the Little Miami River Watershed in Southwest Ohio, USA (Final)

Science.gov (United States)

EPA announced the availability of the final report,Classification of High Spatial Resolution, Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Imagery of the Little Miami River Watershed in Southwest Ohio, USA . This report and associated land use/land cover (LULC) coverage is the result o...

Cholera after the consumption of raw oysters. A case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Klontz, K C; Tauxe, R V; Cook, W L; Riley, W H; Wachsmuth, I K

1987-12-01

In August 1986, a 76-year-old woman in Miami, Florida, developed profuse watery diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Two and four days before the onset of her illness, she had eaten six raw oysters at each of two restaurants in Miami. A stool specimen yielded toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 biotype El Tor, serotype Inaba. The results of toxin gene probing of the organism recovered from the patient differed significantly from those of other V. cholerae O1 isolates from the Gulf Coast and elsewhere in the world. A program of active surveillance identified no other cases of cholera in Miami. The source of the raw oysters eaten by the patient was traced to Louisiana. Her case represents the first reported case of cholera associated with eating raw oysters.

Community Resilience: Increasing Public Understanding of Risk and Vulnerability to Natural Hazards through Informal Education

Science.gov (United States)

Salna, E.

2017-12-01

The Extreme Events Institute's (EEI) International Hurricane Research Center (IHRC) at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida, as a NOAA Weather-Ready Nation Ambassador, is dedicated to make South Florida, Ready, Responsive and Resilient. IHRC with funding from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) has developed several museum exhibits and events. This includes the hands-on FIU Wall of Wind exhibit for the National Building Museum in Washington, DC, the Frost Science Museum in Miami, Florida, and the Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The exhibit teaches the public about hurricane wind engineering research, enhanced building codes, and the importance of protecting your home's windows and doors with code-approved shutters. In addition, IHRC and MODS facilitate Eye of the Storm, a free-of-charge, community event with interactive hurricane science, and preparedness activities, including the entertaining Owlie Skywarn live theater show and live air cannon missile impact demonstrations. This annual event includes many local, state and federal partners, including NOAA and NWS. The IHRC also developed the FIU Wall of Wind Mitigation Challenge. As the next generation of engineers to address natural hazards and extreme weather, this STEM education event features a competition between high school teams to develop innovative wind mitigation concepts and real-life human safety and property protection solutions. IHRC and MODS are also developing a new exhibit of a Hazard/Risk Equation that will "come to life," through virtual reality (VR) technology in a state-of-the art 7D theater. The exhibit will provide a better public understanding of how changes in exposures and vulnerabilities will determine whether a community experiences an emergency, disaster or catastrophe. It will raise public consciousness and drive home the point that communities need not passively accept natural hazard risks. Ultimately, if we raise

Laurel wilt: A global threat to avocado production

Science.gov (United States)

Laurel wilt kills American members of the Lauraceae plant family, including avocado (Persea americana). The disease threatens commercial avocado production in Florida, as well as the National Germplasm Repository for avocado in Miami (USDA-ARS). Elsewhere in the US, major (California) and minor comm...

Recovery Plan for Laurel Wilt of Avocado

Science.gov (United States)

Laurel wilt kills American members of the Lauraceae plant family, including avocado (Persea americana). The disease threatens commercial avocado production in Florida, as well as the National Germplasm Repository for avocado in Miami (USDA-ARS). Elsewhere in the US, major (California) and minor comm...

Evaluation of High-Performance Rooftop HVAC Unit Naval Air Station Key West, Florida

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Howett, Daniel H. [ORNL; Desjarlais, Andre Omer [ORNL; Cox, Daryl [ORNL

2018-01-01

This report documents performance of a high performance rooftop HVAC unit (RTU) at Naval Air Station Key West, FL. This report was sponsored by the Federal Energy Management Program as part of the "High Performance RTU Campaign".

Dispersal of plutonium from an effluent pulse in the Great Miami River

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sprugel, D.G.; Muller, R.N.; Bartelt, G.E.; Wayman, C.W.; Bobula, C.M.

1975-01-01

The concentration of soluble 238 Pu was found to be proportional to the concentration of the Rhodamine WT dye released from Mound Laboratory to the Great Miami River in an effluent pulse. This correlation permitted the integration of the area under the curves obtained from the dye monitoring to be equated to the total soluble 238 Pu present in the pulse. Investigations of the uptake of pulse-associated 238 Pu by organisms in the river proved inconclusive. It does appear, however, that organisms including the alga, Cladophora, which is known to concentrate plutonium, do not exhibit rapid changes in uptake coincident with the passage of the pulse

Mosquito production from four constructed treatment wetlands in peninsular Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Rey, Jorge R; O'Meara, George F; O'Connell, Sheila M; Cutwa-Francis, Michele M

2006-06-01

Several techniques were used to sample adult and immature mosquitoes in 4 constructed treatment wetlands in Florida. Adults of 19 species (7 genera) of mosquitoes were collected, and immatures of the most abundant species and of 60% of all species also were collected. Few significant differences between sites and stations in the numbers of mosquitoes collected were discovered. Culex nigripalpus Theobald was the most abundant mosquito found in adult (carbon dioxide-baited suction traps) and ovitrap collections, whereas Mansonia spp. and Uranotaenia spp. were most common in pump-dip-grab samples. The roles of rooted and floating vegetation and of water quality in determining mosquito production from these areas are discussed.

Hydrology and water quality of East Lake Tohopekaliga, Osceola County, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Schiffer, Donna M.

1987-01-01

East Lake Tohopekaliga, one of the major lakes in central Florida, is located in the upper Kissimmee River basin in north-east Osceola County. It is one of numerous lakes in the upper basin used for flood control, in addition to recreation and some irrigation of surrounding pasture. This report is the fourth in a series of lake reconnaissance studies in the Kissimmee River basin prepared in cooperation with the South Florida Water Management District. The purpose of the report is to provide government agencies and the public with a brief summary of the lake 's hydrology and water quality. Site information is given and includes map number, site name, location, and type of data available (specific conductivity, pH, alkalinity, turbidity, color, dissolved oxygen, hardness, dissolved chlorides, dissolved sodium, dissolved calcium, dissolved magnesium, dissolved potassium, nitrogen, ammonia, nitrates, carbon and phosphorus). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) maintained a lake stage gaging station on East Lake Tohopekaliga from 1942 to 1968. The South Florida Water Management District has recorded lake stage since 1963. Periodic water quality samples have been collected from the lake by the South Florida Water Management District and USGS. Water quality and discharge data have been collected for one major tributary to the lake, Boggy Creek. Although few groundwater data are available for the study area, results of previous studies of the groundwater resources of Osceola County are included in this report. To supplement the water quality data for East Lake Tohopekaliga, water samples were collected at selected sites in November 1982 (dry season) and in August 1983 (rainy season). Samples were taken at inflow points, and in the lake, and vertical profiles of dissolved oxygen and temperature were measured in the lake. A water budget from an EPA report on the lake is also included. (Lantz-PTT)

Sources of dissolved inorganic nitrogen in a coastal lagoon adjacent to a major metropolitan area, Miami Florida (USA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swart, Peter K.; Anderson, William T.; Altabet, Mark A.; Drayer, Courtney; Bellmund, Sarah

2013-01-01

Highlights: • A range of biota (algae and sea grasses) shows enriched δ 15 N close to the coast. • Enriched signals are evident in the particulate and sedimentary organic material. • δ 15 N signals are correlated with high inputs of dissolved inorganic matter. • The enriched values support the presence of a sewage related component. • The δ 15 N could arise from the local landfill, injected wastewater, or septic systems. - Abstract: Between 2006 and 2007, a study was carried out to determine the relative importance of natural and anthropogenic input of nitrogen into Biscayne Bay (South Florida, USA) using δ 13 C and δ 15 N values of algae, seagrasses, and particulate organic material, δ 18 O and δ 15 N of the NO 3 - and δ 13 C of the dissolved inorganic carbon. The δ 15 N values of all components showed a strong east to west gradient approaching more positive values (+7 to +10‰) close to the land-sea interface. The nitrogen could have emanated from the local waste water treatment plant, septic systems within the region, or nitrogen which had been affected by denitrification and leached from the local landfill, wastewater which had been injected into the Floridan aquifer and leaked back to the surface, and/or some other as yet unidentified source. The measured NO 3 - δ 15 N and δ 18 O values indicated that the dissolved nitrate originated from anthropogenic sources and was fractionated during assimilation

Land-margin ecosystem hydrologic data for the coastal Everglades, Florida, water years 1996-2012

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Gordon H.; Smith, Thomas J.; Balentine, Karen M.

2014-01-01

, as a response for a more interdisciplinary science approach to understanding the coastal Everglades ecological system, the SOFL-GCC hydrology project was integrated into the “Dynamics of Land-Margin Ecosystems: Historical Change, Hydrology, Vegetation, Sediment, and Climate” study (Smith and others, 2002). Data from the ongoing study has been useful in providing an empirical hydrologic baseline for the greater Everglades ecosystem restoration science and management needs. The hydrology network consisted of 13 hydrologic gaging stations installed in the southwestern coastal region of Everglades National Park along three transects: Shark River (Shark or SH) transect, Lostmans River (Lostmans or LO) transect, and Chatham River (Chatham or CH) transect (fig. 1). There were five paired surface-water/groundwater gaging stations on the Shark transect (SH1, SH2, SH3, SH4, and SH5) and one stage gaging station (BSC) in the Big Sable Creek; four paired surface-water/groundwater gaging stations on the Lostmans transect (LO1, LO2, LO3, and LO4); and three paired surface-water/groundwater gaging stations on the Chatham transect (CH1, CH2, and CH3). Both surface-water and groundwater levels, salinities, and temperatures were monitored at the paired gaging stations. Rainfall was recorded at marsh and open canopy gaging stations. This report details the study introduction, method, and description of data collected, which are accessible through the final instantaneous hydrologic dataset stored in the USGS South Florida Information Access (SOFIA) South Florida Hydrology Database website, http://sofia.usgs.gov/exchange/sfl_hydro_data/location.html#brdlandmargin.

Species Profiles. Life Histories and Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (South Florida). STRIPED MULLET.

Science.gov (United States)

1985-04-01

Perciformes body; body bluish-gray dorsally and Family ............. . Mugilidae white ventrally; scales cycloid in young, feebly ctenoid in adults; dis- tinct... Mugilidae ) with special reference University Press, College to the seas of the Near East. Station. 327 pp. Aquaculture 5:65-80. Kilby, J. D. 1949. A...nddieaeso ____ ______ n to glfmullets ( Mugilidae ). Pages 411-Mugil cephalus L. in two gulf 493 in 0. H. Oren, ed. Aquacul- coastal areas of Florida. Q. J

Hurricane & Tropical Storm Impacts over the South Florida Metropolitan Area: Mortality & Government

Science.gov (United States)

Colon Pagan, I. C.

2007-12-01

Since 1985, the South Florida Metropolitan area (SFMA), which covers the counties of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach, has been directly affected by 9 tropical cyclones: four tropical storms and 5 hurricanes. This continuous hurricane and tropical storm activity has awakened the conscience of the communities, government, and private sector, about the social vulnerability, in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, and others. Several factors have also been significant enough to affect the vulnerability of the South Florida Metropolitan area, like its geographic location which is at the western part of the Atlantic hurricane track, with a surface area of 6,137 square miles, and elevation of 15 feet. And second, from the 2006 Census estimate, this metropolitan area is the 7th most populous area in the United States supporting almost 1,571 individuals per square mile. Mortality levels due to hurricanes and tropical storms have fluctuated over the last 21 years without any signal of a complete reduction, a phenomenon that can be related to both physical characteristics of the storms and government actions. The average annual death count remains almost the same from 4.10 between 1985 and 1995 to 4 from 1996 to 2006. However, the probability of occurrence of a direct impact of an atmospheric disturbance has increase from 0.3 to 0.6, with an average of three hurricane or tropical storm direct impacts for every five. This analysis suggests an increasing problem with regard to atmospheric disturbances-related deaths in the South Florida Metropolitan area. In other words, despite substantial increases in population during the last 21 years, the number of tropical cyclone-related deaths is not declining; it's just being segregated among more storms. Gaps between each impact can be related to mortality levels. When that time increases in five years or more, such as Bob and Andrew or Irene and Katrina, or decreases in weeks or months, such as Harvey and Irene or Katrina and Wilma

CAD/CAM, Creativity, and Discipline Lead to Turnaround School Success

Science.gov (United States)

Gorman, Lynn

2012-01-01

Miami Central High School technology teacher Frank Houghtaling thinks the connection between theory and application is one reason his students perform better on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). The impressive turnaround school drew local and national attention last spring when one of Houghtaling's students, Dagoberto Cruz, won…

78 FR 35315 - Notice of Lodging of Proposed Consent Decree Under The Clean Water Act

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-12

... Florida Air and Water Pollution Control Act, Fla. Stat. Chapter 403, seeking penalties and injunctive... underneath Government Cut between Fisher Island and south of the City of Miami Beach that conveys untreated... implement a number of EPA sewer maintenance and repair programs which EPA believes will dramatically reduce...

33 CFR 334.500 - St. Johns River, Atlantic Ocean, Sherman Creek; restricted areas and danger zone, Naval Station...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false St. Johns River, Atlantic Ocean... AND RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS § 334.500 St. Johns River, Atlantic Ocean, Sherman Creek; restricted areas and danger zone, Naval Station Mayport, Florida. (a) The areas. (1) The St. Johns River restricted...

Ten unique and charismatic new species of Microgastrinae wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae from North America

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jose Fernandez-Triana

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Ten new species within four genera of Microgastrinae parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae are described from Canada and United States: Diolcogaster ichiroi, Diolcogaster miamensis, Glyptapanteles pseudotsugae, Microgaster archboldensis, Microgaster syntopic, Microplitis altissimus, Microplitis jorgeluisi, Microplitis juanmanueli, Microplitis julioalbertoi, and Microplitis mariamargaritae. The new taxa are significant because they represent the first North American records of a tropical group (species of the basimacula group in Diolcogaster, exemplify interesting ecological cases (niche-based host selection in Glyptapanteles, syntopic species in Microgaster, and showcase unique morphological features and/or altitudinal records (Microplitis. Most of the new species were collected in protected areas or areas with strong research programs (Archbold Biological Station and hammock forests near Miami, Florida; Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, and Mount Evans Wilderness Area, Colorado; Sapelo Island, Georgia; Tonto National Forest, Arizona, and thus are also of value and interest for conservation and research efforts.

Les stratégies spatiales de la population haïtienne à Miami

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cédric Audebert

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Le schéma migratoire haïtien s’est traduit par la genèse d’un champ migratoire international entre le pays d’origine et Miami, où la population d’origine haïtienne a enregistré une croissance rapide. Dans une métropole floridienne marquée par une forte ségrégation « ethno-raciale » et socio-économique, les nouveaux venus se sont installés à l’origine dans les quartiers noirs centraux paupérisés. Les incidences de la politique migratoire fédérale sont apparues contrastées, occasionnant le repli sur soi des immigrants à Little Haiti lorsqu’elle était défavorable ou rendant possible la mobilité résidentielle dans une conjoncture d’assouplissement de la législation. Ultérieurement, la complexité croissante de l’espace de l’immigration haïtienne, caractérisé par une évolution rapide de son étendue et de ses formes, s’est manifestée par une dichotomie marquée entre l’« enclave » traditionnelle et les nouveaux espaces d’installation en banlieue. Résultat d’une dynamique d’agrégation autant choisie que contrainte, la concentration spatiale des Haïtiens à Miami s’est traduite par la genèse de secteurs d’implantation privilégiée, terrains favorables à la mise en place de processus de territorialisation complexes. L’apprentissage mental et fonctionnel de l’espace vise à faire sienne la terre d’immigration et à la doter de sens, et apparaît comme le préalable à la mise en place de stratégies collectives de territorialisation. La « prise de possession » d’une portion de l’aire métropolitaine et son affectation à des activités sociales, commerciales et de représentation politique visent à assurer la pérennité du lien communautaire haïtien en créant de la cohésion, de la solidarité et de la socialité.Haitian emigration has evolved within the growing dependency of Haiti from the United States throughout the XXth century. The Haitian migratory pattern

Prioritizing Service to the Academically Talented: The Honors College

Science.gov (United States)

Floyd, Deborah L.; Holloway, Alexandria

2006-01-01

This chapter describes community college honors programs and courses, emphasizing in particular the Honors College at Miami Dade College in Florida. The chapter discusses pros and cons of honors programs and courses in the context of their appropriateness to the community college mission of open access and egalitarianism. (Contains 1 table.)

Stereotype Threat Effects on African American and Latina/o Elementary Students Tested Together

Science.gov (United States)

Wasserberg, Martin James

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate whether a diagnostic testing condition leads to stereotype threat effects for African American and Latina/o children (N = 81) when tested together at an urban elementary school in Miami, Florida. Design/methodology/approach: To analyze the effect of stereotype threat on participants' reading test…

50 CFR 226.216 - Critical habitat for elkhorn (Acropora palmata) and staghorn (A. cervicornis) corals.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... of the Atlantic Ocean offshore of Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties, Florida, and three specific areas of the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea offshore of the U.S. Territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The boundaries of each specific critical habitat area are described...

Current Trends in Associate Degree Nursing Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Blackstone, Elaine Grant

This study was designed to ascertain current trends in associate degree nursing programs and to discover innovative ideas and techniques which could be applied to the existing program at Miami-Dade Community College (Florida). Data was compiled from interviews with representatives of ten associate degree nursing programs in six states. Information…

Findings from the Evaluation of OJJDP's Gang Reduction Program. Juvenile Justice Bulletin

Science.gov (United States)

Cahill, Meagan; Hayeslip, David

2010-01-01

This bulletin draws on findings from an independent evaluation, conducted by the Urban Institute, of the Gang Reduction Program's (GRP) Impact in Los Angeles, California; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; North Miami Beach, Florida; and Richmond, Virginia, to examine how effectively these sites implemented the program. Following are some of the authors' key…

Reconceptualize Schools with a Micro-Society.

Science.gov (United States)

Altman-Winfrey, Fran

1985-01-01

Describes the support given by a Miami (Florida) area chamber of commerce to a group of junior high school students starting a school-based junior chamber of commerce. Visits by chamber members to the school and by students to chamber meetings and local businesses were part of the program. (PGD)

75 FR 52724 - Procurement List Additions

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-27

... Florida, Inc., Miami, FL Contracting Activity: Department of the Army Research, Development, & Engineering... Department of the Army Research, Development, & Engineering Command, Natick, MA. Kit, Pre-Cut Fabric NSN..., Size 19 NSN: 8405-00-FAB-0278--Man's, S/S, Air Force Shade 1550, Size 20 NSN: 8410-00-FAB-8362--Woman's...

Pedestrian safety engineering and intelligent transportation system-based countermeasures program for reduced pedestrian fatalities, injuries, conflicts and other surrogate measures : Miami-Dade site.

Science.gov (United States)

2008-08-25

This report presents the methods and key findings from the Miami-Dade comprehensive pedestrian safety planning and engineering project. It is one of three such projects in the nation funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to evaluate: In...

Woodville Karst Plain, North Florida

OpenAIRE

2006-01-01

Map showing the largest mapped underwater cave systems and conduit flow paths confirmed by tracer testing relative to surface streams, sinkholes and potentiometric surface of the Florida aquifer in the Woodville Karst Plain, Florida

Hotel Polynesian Village Florida- (EE.UU.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Welton Becket y Asociados, Arquitectos

1974-06-01

Full Text Available This hotel unit with 500 rooms is located in a beautiful plot situated along the beach of a laguna in Disneyland, Florida. It consists of 10 individual pavilions, two units with two stories and six with three stories, in addition to a main building with two stories —offices, W.C.s, bar shops, banquet halls, etc.— and a monorail station connected with the covered passages, and with a view of the beautiful horizon that reminds one of the South Sea in the last century. The building for the guests is formed by metal structure modules of 9.10 x 4.50 x 2.70 m, that are placed on top of each other. Each one weighs 7 t and they are all completely equipped.Este conjunto hotelero, de 500 habitaciones, se halla enclavado en un hermoso solar situado a lo largo de la playa de una laguna del Mundo de Walt Disney, en Florida. Consta de diez pabellones individuales, dos unidades de dos plantas y seis de tres alturas, además de un edificio principal de dos plantas —oficinas, servicios, bar, tiendas, salones de banquetes, etc.— y una estación del monorraíl enlazada con los paseos cubiertos con vistas al bello horizonte, que recuerda el de los Mares del Sur, en el siglo pasado. Los edificios para huéspedes están formados por módulos de 9,14 X 4,57 X 2,74 m, con estructura metálica, que se colocan uno sobre otro. Cada uno pesa 7 t y van completamente equipados con todas sus instalaciones necesarias.

A rental car strategy for commercialization of hydrogen in Florida

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lines, Lee [Department of Environmental Studies, Rollins College, 1000 Holt Avenue, Box 2753, Winter Park, FL 32789-4499 (United States); Kuby, Michael; Clancy, James [School of Geographical Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5302 (United States); Schultz, Ronald; Xie, Zhixiao [Department of Geosciences, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431 (United States)

2008-10-15

This article proposes a hydrogen rental-car strategy for transitioning from fleets to consumers in Orlando, Florida. Orlando is the No. 1 tourist destination in the United States, but most car renters visit only a few destinations. A hydrogen rental-car fleet serving this cluster of destinations could provide visitors with a positive first exposure to hydrogen vehicles with minimal commitment, creating hydrogen advocates and potential early adopters in their home regions. The rental-car business combines the logistical advantages of a fleet operation with outreach to many consumers. A hydrogen-powered rental-car fleet at the Orlando International Airport could provide guaranteed demand, supporting an initial rollout of refueling stations. We surveyed 435 rental-car customers in Orlando to understand the idea from the consumer point of view. We analyzed the bundles of destinations visited by the respondents and found that only three stations - an existing station at the Orlando International Airport plus new stations near the theme parks and in downtown Orlando - could serve 64% of renters. Half of all respondents indicated a willingness to pay more to rent a hydrogen car, and this subset of customers ranked the ability to use a pollution-free car as the most important factor in their decision. We then identify the major barriers to a hydrogen rental-car business model from the corporate point of view and propose a number of potential solutions. The most significant barrier appears to be the fleet purchase costs, which we think can be offset by the benefits of free media coverage and contained by beginning with converted internal-combustion vehicles and converting eventually to fuel-cell vehicles. We also outline possible synergies with NASA, Disney, refueling stations, manufacturers and state government. (author)

Florida Bay: A history of recent ecological changes

Science.gov (United States)

Fourqurean, J.W.; Robblee, M.B.

1999-01-01

Florida Bay is a unique subtropical estuary at the southern tip of the Florida peninsula. Recent ecological changes (seagrass die-off, algal blooms, increased turbidity) to the Florida Bay ecosystem have focused the attention of the public, commercial interests, scientists, and resource managers on the factors influencing the structure and function of Florida Bay. Restoring Florida Bay to some historic condition is the goal of resource managers, but what is not clear is what an anthropogenically-unaltered Florida Bay would look like. While there is general consensus that human activities have contributed to the changes occurring in the Florida Bay ecosystem, a high degree of natural system variability has made elucidation of the links between human activity and Florida Bay dynamics difficult. Paleoecological analyses, examination of long-term datasets, and directed measurements of aspects of the ecology of Florida Bay all contribute to our understanding of the behavior of the bay, and allow quantification of the magnitude of the recent ecological changes with respect to historical variability of the system.

University of Florida Advanced Technologies Campus Testbed

Science.gov (United States)

2017-09-21

The University of Florida (UF) and its Transportation Institute (UFTI), the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the City of Gainesville (CoG) are cooperating to develop a smart transportation testbed on the University of Florida (UF) main...

DIURNAL VERTICAL MIGRATIONS OF MEIOFAUNA IN AN ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Water movement-a dominant factor in interstitial ecology. Sarsia. 34: 125-136. BUSH, L F 1966. Distribution of sand fauna in beaches at Miami, Florida. Bull. mar. Sci. 16: 58-75. DYE, A H 1978. An ecophysiological study of the meiofauna of the Swartkops estuary. I. The sampling sites: Physical and chemical features.

Epidemiology of Ciguatera in Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Radke, Elizabeth G; Reich, Andrew; Morris, John Glenn

2015-08-01

Ciguatera is the most commonly reported marine food-borne illness worldwide. Because there is a biological plausibility that ciguatera may be impacted by long-term climate variability and Florida is on the northern border of the geographic distribution of ciguatera, it is important to update our understanding of its epidemiology in Florida. We performed an analysis of 291 reports in Florida from 2000 to 2011 and an e-mail survey of 5,352 recreational fishers to estimate incidence and underreporting and identify high risk demographic groups, fish types, and catch locations. Incidence was 5.6 per 100,000 adjusted for underreporting. Hispanics had the highest incidence rate (relative risk [RR] = 3.4) and were more likely to eat barracuda than non-Hispanics. The most common catch locations for ciguatera-causing fish were the Bahamas and Florida Keys. Cases caused by fish from northern Florida were infrequent. These results indicate that ciguatera incidence is higher than estimated from public health reports alone. There is little evidence that incidence or geographic range has increased because of increased seawater temperatures since earlier studies. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Ecological characterization of the lower Everglades, Florida Bay, and the Florida Keys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schomer, N.S.; Drew, R.D.

1982-09-01

A conceptual model of the study area identifies four major ecological zones: (1) terrestrial and freshwater wetlands, (2) estuarine and saltwater wetlands, (3) Florida Bay and mangrove islands, and (4) the Florida Keys. These zones are delineated by differences in basic physical-chemical background factors which in turn promote characteristic ecological communities. The terrestrial and freshwater wetlands support pinelands, sawgrass marshes, wet prairies, sloughs and occasional tree islands. The estuarine and saltwater wetlands support mangrove forests, salt marshes and oscillating salinity systems. Florida Bay exhibits oscillating meso- to hypersaline waters over grassbeds on marine lime mud sediments surrounding deeper lake areas. The exposed tips of the mud banks frequently support mangrove or salt prairie vegetation. The Florida Keys support almost all of the above communities to some small degree but are characterized by extensive offshore coral reefs. The productivity of these communities with regard to fish and wildlife reflects (1) the diversity and type of habitats available to species that are potentially capable of exploiting them, (2) the degree of alteration of these habitats by man and natural forces, and (3) historical, biogeographic and random factors that restrict organisms to specific environments or prohibit them from exploiting a potential habitat.

Occurrence of Pasteuria spp. in Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Hewlett, T. E.; Cox, R.; Dickson, D. W.; Dunn, R. A.

1994-01-01

Two years of data collected from the Florida Nematode Assay Laboratory of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service and 4 years of data from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, were compiled to find out the distribution of Pasteuria spp. on nematodes in Florida soils. Information recorded came from 335 samples and included nematode genera with Pasteuria endospores attached, host plants associated with the samples, and the origins of the samples. Pasteuria spp. were detected on 14 different plant-parasitic nematode genera in 41 Florida counties and associated with over 39 different plant species and in seven fallow fields. Pasteuria-infected nematodes were associated with a wide range of plant hosts, although frequency of associations with these hosts reflected the sample bias of the laboratories involved. Meloidogyne and Hoplolaimus spp. were the two nematode genera most frequently associated with Pasteuria. Pasteuria spp. were observed attached to members of these two genera in 176 and 59 soil samples, respectively. PMID:19279936

Florida Sinkholes and Grout Injection Stabilization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles Hunt Griffith II

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Florida has a major problem when it comes to sinkholes. These sinkholes can become very hazardous to people, homes, and to the landscape as a whole. Florida sits on a carbonate platform which is highly indicative of sinkholes. There are three main types of sinkholes which occur in Florida: dissolution, cover subsidence, and cover collapse. I will compare these types of sinkholes to the underlying formation beneath Florida to see if there is a connection between the types of sinkholes that occur. I will also create a 3D model of grout injection stabilization and calculate its volume to compare to the actual volume placed under the house. This information will help inform and bring attention to the problem in Florida and in turn, may help alleviate the problem if we can understand what causes these sinkholes. The 3D model may help engineering companies become more efficient in predicting the projected amount of volume to stabilize a house that may be in danger.

Calibration of GOES-derived solar radiation data using a distributed network of surface measurements in Florida, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Sumner, David M.; Pathak, Chandra S.; Mecikalski, John R.; Paech, Simon J.; Wu, Qinglong; Sangoyomi, Taiye; Babcock, Roger W.; Walton, Raymond

2008-01-01

Solar radiation data are critically important for the estimation of evapotranspiration. Analysis of visible-channel data derived from Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) using radiative transfer modeling has been used to produce spatially- and temporally-distributed datasets of solar radiation. An extensive network of (pyranometer) surface measurements of solar radiation in the State of Florida has allowed refined calibration of a GOES-derived daily integrated radiation data product. This refinement of radiation data allowed for corrections of satellite sensor drift, satellite generational change, and consideration of the highly-variable cloudy conditions that are typical of Florida. To aid in calibration of a GOES-derived radiation product, solar radiation data for the period 1995–2004 from 58 field stations that are located throughout the State were compiled. The GOES radiation product was calibrated by way of a three-step process: 1) comparison with ground-based pyranometer measurements on clear reference days, 2) correcting for a bias related to cloud cover, and 3) deriving month-by-month bias correction factors. Pre-calibration results indicated good model performance, with a station-averaged model error of 2.2 MJ m–2 day–1 (13 percent). Calibration reduced errors to 1.7 MJ m–2 day–1 (10 percent) and also removed time- and cloudiness-related biases. The final dataset has been used to produce Statewide evapotranspiration estimates.

Development of Staffing Patterns in Six New Medical Schools Established 1952-1960.

Science.gov (United States)

National Institutes of Health (DHEW), Bethesda, MD. Resources Analysis Branch.

This summary report of staffing patterns in 6 medical schools established between 1952 and 1960 is the first phase of a proposed study of biomedical staffing requirements in institutions of higher education, 1965-1975. The 6 schools are: the University of Miami, Albert Einstein College of medicine at Yeshiva University, the University of Florida,…

CNC Technology Brings out Hidden Talents in Disabled Children

Science.gov (United States)

Lintz, Jeff

2004-01-01

In this article, the author shares his experience teaching production technology to special education students at Hialeah Middle School in Miami-Dade County, Florida. He has had many students who clearly had talent in graphics and design that went unrealized because of their physical disabilities. He has seen students with an enormous amount of…

Endosulfan has no adverse effect on soil respiration

Science.gov (United States)

Endosulfan (6,7,8,9,10-hexachloro-1,5,5a,6,9,9a-hexahydro-6,9-methano-2,4,3-benzodioxathiepin-3-oxide) is a chlorinated hydrocarbon used as a broad spectrum contact insect/acaricide. The continuous agricultural production of tomatoes, green beans, and squash make Miami-Dade County, Florida one of th...

Teaching Special Relativity to Lay Students

Science.gov (United States)

Egdall, Ira Mark

2014-01-01

In this paper, I describe a lay course in special relativity (SR) given at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (OLLI's) at Florida International University and the University of Miami. Courses are also offered in general relativity quantum theory cosmology the nature of time, and the fine-tuned universe. Each course is presented in six…

Hydrology of Southeast Florida and Associated Topics.

Science.gov (United States)

Monsour, William, Comp.; Moyer, Maureen, Comp.

This booklet deals with the hydrology of southeastern Florida. It is designed to provide the citizen, teacher, or student with hydrological information, to promote an understanding of water resources, and to initiate conservation practices within Florida communities. The collection of articles within the booklet deal with Florida water resources…

Disinfection Pilot Trial for Little Miami WWTP | Science ...

Science.gov (United States)

There is a serious interest growing nationally towards the use of PAA at various stages of public waste water treatment facilities; one of such use is secondary waste water treatment. MSDGC is currently interested in improving efficiency and economic aspects of waste water treatment. MSDGC requested for ORD’s support to evaluate alternative cost-effective disinfectants. This report herein is based on the data generated from the field pilot test conducted at the Little Miami Wastewater Treatment Plant. Chlorine assisted disinfection of wastewaters created the concern regarding the formation of high levels of toxic halogenated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) detrimental to aquatic life and public health. Peracetic acid is emerging as a green alternative to chlorine and claimed to have economic and social benefits. In addition, it is a relatively simple retrofit to the existing chlorine treated wastewater treatment facilities. PAA is appealed to possess a much lower aquatic toxicity profile than chlorine and decays rapidly in the environment, even if overdosed. As a result, PAA generally does not need a quenching step, such as dechlorination, reducing process complexity, sodium pollution and cost. PAA treatment does not result in the formation of chlorinated disinfection by-products such as trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids and other byproducts such as cyanide and n-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA).

Water Use in Florida, 2005 and Trends 1950-2005

Science.gov (United States)

Marella, Richard L.

2008-01-01

Water is among Florida's most valued resources. The State has more than 1,700 streams and rivers, 7,800 freshwater lakes, 700 springs, 11 million acres of wetlands, and underlying aquifers yielding quantities of freshwater necessary for both human and environmental needs (Fernald and Purdum, 1998). Although renewable, these water resources are finite, and continued growth in population, tourism, and agriculture will place increased demands on these water supplies. The permanent population of Florida in 2005 totaled 17.9 million, ranking fourth in the Nation (University of Florida, 2006); nearly 86 million tourists visited the State (Orlando Business Journal, 2006). In 2005, Florida harvested two-thirds of the total citrus production in the United States and ranked fifth in the Nation net farm income (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 2006). Freshwater is vital for sustaining Florida's population, economy, and agricultural production. Accurate estimates reflecting water use and trends in Florida are compiled in 5-year intervals by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the Northwest Florida, St. Johns River, South Florida, Southwest Florida, and Suwannee River Water Management Districts (Marella, 2004). This coordinated effort provides the necessary data and information for planning future water needs and resource management. The purpose of this fact sheet is to present the highlights of water use in Florida for 2005 along with some significant trends in withdrawals since 1950.

A community-based breast cancer screening program for medically underserved women: its effect on disease stage at diagnosis and on hazard of death Programa basado en la comunidad de tamizaje de cáncer de mama en mujeres médicamente subatendidas: efecto sobre el estadio de la enfermedad en el momento del diagnóstico y el riesgo de muerte

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clyde B. McCoy

2004-03-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Earlier studies by this research team found that medically underserved minority women in the Miami-Dade County area of the state of Florida, United States, were in need of breast cancer screening and that there were problems with availability, accessibility, and acceptability of services. In response, a community-based comprehensive breast cancer screening program called the Early Detection Program (EDP was developed. The specific purpose of this study was to assess the effect that EDP participation had on stage at diagnosis and on hazard of death. METHODS: Existing data from the Florida Cancer Data System (FCDS, a statewide cancer registry, were linked with data from the EDP. In December 1998 we assembled a multiethnic (African-American, black Hispanic, white Hispanic, and white non-Hispanic retrospective cohort with the following inclusion criteria: all women aged 40 and older with breast cancer diagnosed and staged at University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center (which is located in the city of Miami, Florida from January 1987 through December 1997. EDP participants were medically underserved, that is, they resided in lower socioeconomic areas and/or had limited or no health insurance to cover medical costs. Subjects identified as EDP participants were compared to nonparticipants with respect to disease stage at diagnosis and hazard of death. Logistic regression and Cox regression models were used for analysis. RESULTS: EDP participants were 2.4 times as likely (95% confidence interval = 1.71 to 3.43 to present with a diagnosis of localized cancer as were nonparticipants, even after controlling for race and age at diagnosis. EDP participation was independently associated with both earlier diagnosis and reduced hazard of death. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in the EDP increases the likelihood of early detection of breast cancer and reduces the hazard of death for medically underserved women in the Miami-Dade County area of

Southeast Florida Sediment Assessment and Needs Determination (SAND) Study

Science.gov (United States)

2014-09-01

sand with some shell beds, sandstone , and limestone *Miami Limestone 0 to 80 ft Oolitic limestone, quartz sand, and sandstone Anastasia 0 to 100 ft...Sand, shell beds, marl, calcareous sandstone (coquina/calcarenite) Fort Thompson 0 to 80 ft Silty limestone, silty sand, clayey marl, shell marl...highly- to moderately- weathered quartzose sandstone , and highly-weathered (saprolitic) to moderately-weathered hard limestone. North-south and

Satellite-Observed Black Water Events off Southwest Florida: Implications for Coral Reef Health in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

OpenAIRE

Zhao, Jun; Hu, Chuanmin; Lapointe, Brian; Melo, Nelson; Johns, Elizabeth; Smith, Ryan

2013-01-01

A “black water” event, as observed from satellites, occurred off southwest Florida in 2012. Satellite observations suggested that the event started in early January and ended in mid-April 2012. The black water patch formed off central west Florida and advected southward towards Florida Bay and the Florida Keys with the shelf circulation, which was confirmed by satellite-tracked surface drifter trajectories. Compared with a previous black water event in 2002, the 2012 event was weaker in terms...

The Influence of Family Structure on Sexual Activity in a Randomized Effectiveness Trial for Minority Youth

Science.gov (United States)

Sherr, Michael E.; Crow, Janet; Stamey, James; Jones, Johnny; Dyer, Preston

2012-01-01

This study examined the influence of family structure on the outcomes of a sex education program in Miami, Florida. Using an experimental design, data collection occurred at pretest, 3-month, and 6-month follow-up with a sample of teenagers from high schools with a large majority of minority youth, assigned into treatment (n = 549) and control (n…

A teachers' guide to teaching medical interviewing.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanner, L A; Silverman, G

1981-03-01

Success in teaching a course in medical interviewing requires competence on the part of instructors, who also need training, and have to provide a structured approach. Problems encountered by course coordinators at the Department of Family Medicine, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida have been: (1) a shortage of skilled teachers; (2) inadequate motivation of instructors for teaching the course; (3) differences in content, teacher's style, and outcomes from small groups; and (4) ambiguities in structure or guidelines provided for teachers. The development of a teacher's guide, giving specific objectives and step-by-step methods for teaching significantly improved teacher satisfaction and commitment to the course, as well as student learning.

Influence of salinity on prevalence of the parasite Loxothylacus panopaei in the xanthid Panopeus obesus in SW Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Tolley, S Gregory; Winstead, James T; Haynes, Lesli; Volety, Aswani K

2006-06-23

This study was conducted to examine the potential influence of salinity, a proxy for freshwater inflow, on the prevalence of the castrator parasite Loxothylacus panopaei on saltmarsh mud crabs Panopeus obesus on SW Florida oyster reefs. Spatial and seasonal patterns of the presence of potential host crabs and the prevalence of the parasite were assessed in the Caloosahatchee, Estero, and Faka Union estuaries. Lift nets (1 m2) containing 5 1 of oyster clusters were deployed on intertidal reefs at 3 sites along the salinity gradient of each estuary. Nets were deployed during 3 seasonally dry and 3 seasonally wet months for a period of 30 d. P. obesus densities tended to increase downstream in higher salinity waters, with crabs being absent from the upper station in the Caloosahatchee during both seasons and absent from the upper station of the Faka Union during wet months. Parasite prevalence was reduced upstream in each estuary during wet months compared to dry months, and for those estuaries that experienced higher relative levels of freshwater inflow. Furthermore, parasite prevalence was positively correlated with the mean salinity of capture of host crabs. Based on the distribution of P. obesus and the above patterns related to salinity, it appears that freshwater inflow and seasonal rains might regulate the prevalence of this parasite in SW Florida by creating spatiotemporal, low salinity refuges for its host.

78 FR 43197 - Duke Energy Florida, Inc.; Florida Power & Light Company; Tampa Electric Company; Orlando...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-19

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [ER13-1922-000; ER13-1929-000; ER13-1932-000; NJ13-11-000] Duke Energy Florida, Inc.; Florida Power & Light Company; Tampa Electric Company; Orlando Utilities Commission; Notice of Compliance Filings Take notice that on July 10, 2013, Duke Energy...

Using Flow Regime Lightning and Sounding Climatologies to Initialize Gridded Lightning Threat Forecasts for East Central Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Lambert, Winifred; Short, David; Volkmer, Matthew; Sharp, David; Spratt, Scott

2007-01-01

mesoscale detail of the forecast. Several studies took place at the Florida State University (FSU) and NWS Tallahassee (TAE) in which they created daily flow regimes using Florida 1200 UTC synoptic soundings and CG strike densities, or number of strikes per specified area. The soundings used to determine the flow regimes were taken at Miami (MIA), Tampa (TBW), and Jacksonville (JAX), FL, and the lightning data for the strike densities came from the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN). The densities were created on a 2.5 km x 2.5 km grid for every hour of every day during the warm seasons in the years 1989-2004. The grids encompass an area that includes the entire state of Florida and adjacent Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico waters. Personnel at FSU and NWS TAE provided this data and supporting software for the work performed by the AMU.

78 FR 29364 - Seminole Electric Cooperative, Inc., and Florida Municipal Power Agency v. Duke Energy Florida...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-20

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EL13-63-000] Seminole Electric Cooperative, Inc., and Florida Municipal Power Agency v. Duke Energy Florida, Inc.; Notice of... of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission), 18 CFR 385.206 and sections 206, 306, and...

7 CFR 915.332 - Florida avocado maturity regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Florida avocado maturity regulation. 915.332 Section... SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AVOCADOS GROWN IN SOUTH FLORIDA Container and Pack Regulations § 915.332 Florida avocado maturity regulation. (a...

Pilot Study Report, Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida. Permeable Reactive Treatment (PeRT) Wall Pilot Study. Revision 2

Science.gov (United States)

1999-11-01

slurry was made from mixing iron, guar gum , an enzyme and borax. The guar gum was Hercules Supercol™ food grade fine (200-mesh size) powder . It was...Florida The guar gum was mixed with water in batches in a stirred open top tank to form 2 to 3% solutions. The guar gum solution was pumped first to a...holding tank, then into a truck-mounted batch mixing plant. A positive displacement pump controlled the feed rate of guar gum to the batch mixing plant

Seasonal distribution of a podocopid ostracod in a thermally altered area of Tampa Bay, Florida

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stiles, C.D.; Blake, N.J.

1976-01-01

As part of a general ecological survey to determine the effects of a thermal effluent, quantitative samples of living benthic ostracods were collected from November 1973 through June 1974 and during August 1974 in the vicinity of a power plant located on Tampa Bay, Florida. Sampling stations were in the areas of maximum thermal influence and at a control site. For each sampling period, samples taken for organic carbon, salinity, sediment and water temperature, and dissolved oxygen showed that the areas were quite similar, except for temperature, which was found to have the greatest difference among stations of the effluent and ambient areas on a monthly basis. This study concentrates on the distribution of Haplocytheridea setipunctata, the dominant ostracod in the study area. Significant differences between population means were detected for all months except May and June. Maximum numbers of living H. setipunctata occurred at all stations in June, with densities of 55,000 individuals/m 2 in the area of thermal influence. A positive correlation of temperature with population density was found to occur from March through June at all stations. Temperature was found to play a significant role in limiting populations during the warmer months of the year. Carapaces of this ostracod were found to be depleted of calcium carbonate in individuals occurring in the thermal effluent

Benthic Habitats of Estero Bay Area, Florida 1999 Geodatabase

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Data produced for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI) in partnership with the South Florida Water...

Benthic Habitats of Estero Bay Area, Florida 1999 Biotic

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Data produced for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI) in partnership with the South Florida Water...

Benthic Habitats of Estero Bay Area, Florida 1999 Geoform

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Data produced for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI) in partnership with the South Florida Water...

77 FR 74923 - Water Quality Standards for the State of Florida's Estuaries, Coastal Waters, and South Florida...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-18

... proposing numeric water quality criteria to protect ecological systems, aquatic life, and human health from... III surface waters share water quality criteria established to protect fish consumption, recreation... Water Quality Standards for the State of Florida's Estuaries, Coastal Waters, and South Florida Inland...

NASA Hydrogen Research at Florida Universities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

David L Block; Ali T-Raissi

2006-01-01

This paper presents a summary of the activities and results from 36 hydrogen research projects being conducted over a four-year period by Florida universities for the U. S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The program entitled 'NASA Hydrogen Research at Florida Universities' is managed by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC). FSEC has 22 years of experience in conducting research in areas related to hydrogen technologies and fuel cells. The R and D activities under this program cover technology areas related to production, cryogenics, sensors, storage, separation processes, fuel cells, resource assessments and education. (authors)

Ecology of subtropical, shallow water environments: chemistry of copper and chlorine introduced into marine systems during energy production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

During the last three contract years, we have been involved in the study of the chemistry of the copper binding compounds occurring in coastal seawater. Initially our efforts were oriented towards the study of the complexing capacity of waters collected at various locations in the Miami, Florida area. Our study then shifted towards the concentration and the elucidation of these chelators

Economics of coal conversion processing. Advances in coal gasification: support research. Advances in coal gasification: process development and analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1978-01-01

The fall meeting of the American Chemical Society, Division of Fuel Chemistry, was held at Miami Beach, Florida, September 10-15, 1978. Papers involved the economics of coal conversion processing and advances in coal gasification, especially support research and process development and analysis. Fourteen papers have been entered individually into EDB and ERA; three papers had been entered previously from other sources. (LTN)

Tropical ecosystems into the 21st century.

Science.gov (United States)

K. S. Bawa; W. J. Kress; N. M. Nadkarni; S. Raven P. H. Lele; D. H. Janzen; A. E. Lugo; P. S. Ashton; T. E. Lovejoy

2004-01-01

WE ENDORSE THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF America’s (ESA) call to shift its primary focus from the study of undisturbed ecosystems to interdisciplinary studies of humaninfluenced ecosystems for the betterment of human societies (1, 2). At the 2004 annual meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC) in Miami, Florida, we released a report (“Beyond...

Migrations of sandy beach meiofauna

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The meiofauna at higher tide levels on a sheltered beach has been found to .... temperature of the sea water was also measured in the shallows (about 0,5 m deep). For the ... Movement was monitored over a five-hour period on the rising tide (08h30-13h30) and a ...... Distribution of sand fauna in beaches at Miami, Florida.

Atmospheric tritium. Progress report, July 1, 1975--March 31, 1976

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oestlund, H.G.; Mason, A.S.

1976-01-01

Progress is reported in the development of field equipment for sampling tritium in environmental samples. The performance of prototype tritiated hydrocarbon samples is discussed. Data are presented on the content of tritium in samples of rain water collected in Miami, Florida, Western Samoa, and Barbados during 1975, and tritium compounds in atmospheric samples collected at various world locations during 1975

New distribution record of Cybocephalus kathrynae (Coleoptera, Cybocephalidae on Mona Island, Puerto Rico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean Carlos Curbelo-Rodríguez

2012-03-01

Full Text Available New distribution record of Cybocephalus Kathrynae (Coleoptera, Cybocephalidae on Mona Island, Puerto Rico. A new record of Cybocephalus kathrynae T.R. Smith (Cybocephalidae is reported for Puerto Rico. Adults were collected from the flowers of Mammillaria nivosa (Cactaceae on Mona Island Reserve. Prior to this study, this beetle species was only reported for Monroe and Miami-Dade Counties, Florida, USA.

History and Status of Eucalyptus Improvement in Florida

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Donald L. Rockwood

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The first organized Eucalyptus research in Florida was begun by the Florida Forests Foundation in 1959 in southern Florida. This research was absorbed by the USDA Forest Service and the Florida Division of Forestry in 1968. In the early 1970s, the Eucalyptus Research Cooperative formed to provide additional support emphasized E. grandis, E. robusta, E. camaldulensis, and E. tereticornis and developed cultural practices for commercial plantations in southern Florida. In 1978, this cooperative united with the Hardwood Research Cooperative at North Carolina State University until 1985 when the 14-year effort ended after three severe freezes from 1983 to 1985. Eucalyptus planting and research were continued with a Florida-wide focus by the University of Florida and collaborators starting in 1980. The collective accomplishments in terms of genetic resources and commercial planting are summarized. For example, fast-growing, freeze-resilient E. grandis seedlings are produced by advanced generation seed orchards, five E. grandis cultivars are commercially available, as are E. amplifolia and Corymbia torelliana seeds. Genetic improvement of these and other species is ongoing due to beneficial collaborations. Short Rotation Woody Crop systems are promising for increasing productivity and extending uses beyond conventional pulpwood to applications such as windbreaks, dendroremediation, and energy wood.

Analysis of bathymetric surveys to identify coastal vulnerabilities at Cape Canaveral, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, David M.; Plant, Nathaniel G.; Hansen, Mark E.

2015-10-07

Cape Canaveral, Florida, is a prominent feature along the Southeast U.S. coastline. The region includes Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, and a large portion of Canaveral National Seashore. The actual promontory of the modern Cape falls within the jurisdictional boundaries of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Erosion hazards result from winter and tropical storms, changes in sand resources, sediment budgets, and sea-level rise. Previous work by the USGS has focused on the vulnerability of the dunes to storms, where updated bathymetry and topography have been used for modeling efforts. Existing research indicates that submerged shoals, ridges, and sandbars affect patterns of wave refraction and height, coastal currents, and control sediment transport. These seabed anomalies indicate the availability and movement of sand within the nearshore environment, which may be directly related to the stability of the Cape Canaveral shoreline. Understanding the complex dynamics of the offshore bathymetry and associated sediment pathways can help identify current and future erosion vulnerabilities due to short-term (for example, hurricane and other extreme storms) and long-term (for example, sea-level rise) hazards.

Seasonality of selected surface water constituents in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Y; Migliaccio, K W; Wan, Y; Li, Y C; Chin, D

2007-01-01

Seasonality is often the major exogenous effect that must be compensated for or removed to discern trends in water quality. Our objective was to provide a methodological example of trend analysis using water quality data with seasonality. Selected water quality constituents from 1979 to 2004 at three monitoring stations in southern Florida were evaluated for seasonality. The seasonal patterns of flow-weighted and log-transformed concentrations were identified by applying side-by-side boxplots and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (p turbidity, color, and chloride), except for turbidity at Station C24S49, exhibited significant seasonal patterns. Almost all nutrient species (NO(2)-N, NH(4)-N, total Kjeldahl N, PO(4)-P, and total P) had an identical seasonal pattern of concentrations significantly greater in the wet than in the dry season. Some water quality constituents were observed to exhibit significant annual or seasonal trends. In some cases, the overall annual trend was insignificant while opposing trends were present in different seasons. By evaluating seasonal trends separately from all data, constituents can be assessed providing a more accurate interpretation of water quality trends.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever acquired in Florida, 1973-83.

Science.gov (United States)

Sacks, J J; Janowski, H T

1985-01-01

From 1973 to 1983, 49 Florida residents were reported with confirmed Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), 25 of whom were considered to have had Florida-acquired disease. Although there was no history of tick exposure for six of these 25 persons, all had contact with dogs or outdoor activities during the incubation period. The tick vectors of RMSF are widely distributed throughout Florida. We conclude that RMSF, although rare in Florida, can be acquired in the state. PMID:4061716

Richard Florida : loovsektor on majanduskasvu mootor / Richard Florida ; interv. Argo Ideon

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Florida, Richard

2008-01-01

USA majandus- ja ühiskonnateadlane Richard Florida loovklassi teooriast, selle osast majanduskasvu tagamisel, seosest ühiskonna tolerantsuse ja ühiskonna majandusliku edukuse vahel, sotsiaalse sidususe takistavast rollist loovuse motiveerimisel

Spaceport Florida Authority: Business Plan

Science.gov (United States)

1996-01-01

The Spaceport Florida Authority (SFA) was established under Florida Statute by the Governor and Legislature to assist the development of our nation's space transportation industry and to generate new space-related jobs, investment and opportunities statewide. Included in the Authorities' business plan is the statement of work and list of team members involved in creating the report, SFA's current operating concept, market analysis, assessment of accomplishments, a sample operating concept and a "roadmap to success".

Florida public transportation anti-terrorism resource guide

Science.gov (United States)

2001-10-01

The Center for Urban Transportation (CUTR) at the University of South Florida (USF) assembled this guide to provide public transit agencies in Florida with information on current resources available to assist them with improving system security and g...

Fire and EMS Districts - MDC_FDStationTerritoryInhabited

Data.gov (United States)

NSGIC Local Govt | GIS Inventory — A polygon feature class of Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue (MDFR) Fire District Station Territories clipped to the extent of inhabited areas. This layer is intended...

ASK Florida; a climate change education professional development program for middle school teachers in Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Weihs, R. R.

2012-12-01

A series of professional development workshops covering the fundamentals of climate change have been developed and facilitated for two groups of middle school science teachers in three Florida counties. The NASA-supported joint venture between Florida State University's Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies (COAPS) and the University of South Florida's (USF's) Coalition for Science Literacy, ASK Florida, focuses on expanding and deepening teachers' content knowledge of a wide range of climate change topics, connecting local and regional changes to the global picture, and supporting classroom implementation and effective teaching practices. Education experts from USF, climate scientists from COAPS, and Hillsborough county teachers and science coaches coordinated and developed the workshop content, which is based on Florida's Next Generation Sunshine State Standards in science, science curriculum guides for 6th grade, and teacher interest. Several scientists have facilitated activities during the workshop, including professors in meteorology and climatology, research scientists in the field, a NOAA program manager, the state climatologists for Florida, and others. Having these climate scientists present during the workshop provides teachers an opportunity to interact directly with the scientists and gain insight into the climatology field. Additionally, we host an open-forum discussion panel during which teachers can ask the experts about any topics of interest. Activities are designed to enhance the scientific skill level of the teachers. Introductory activities reinforce teachers' abilities to distinguish facts from opinions and to evaluate sources. Other activities provide hands-on experience using actual scientific data from NASA and other agencies. For example, teachers analyze precipitation data to create distributions of Florida rainfall, examine sea level trends at various locations, identify Atlantic hurricane frequencies during the phases of ENSO

Electromagnetic methods for rapidly characterizing porosity distributions in the upper part of the Biscayne aquifer, southern Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Mount, G. J.; Comas, X.; Cunningham, K. J.

2010-12-01

Gregory J. Mount1, Xavier Comas1, and Kevin J. Cunningham2 1Department of Geosciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 2U.S. Geological Survey, 3110 SW 9th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33315 Although conventional hydrological techniques of aquifer characterization, which rely on data obtained from boreholes and wells can provide very valuable direct information about porosity, storativity and transmissivity, they are invasive and can often become time consuming and relatively expensive. Near-surface electromagnetic techniques, such as ground penetrating radar (GPR), provide indirect measurements of aquifer properties that complement traditional point measurements and provide a laterally continuous subsurface image in an efficient and cost effective manner with a minimal impact on the environment. We investigated the carbonate rocks of the uppermost part (3-5 meters) of the Biscayne aquifer in Everglades National Park to better understand the distribution of karst features that can create concentrated flow of groundwater, nutrients, and contaminants. As the Biscayne aquifer is the primary source of drinking water for millions of people in southern Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties, knowledge about these features could create a more complete understanding of a critical natural resource. These macroporous elements contribute to the overall storage, permeability, and transmissivity of the aquifer and for that reason, delineation of their distribution and areal extent should aid in the development of more accurate groundwater flow models. The macroporous elements create numerous hyperbolic diffractions in GPR common offset profiles, and these diffractions are used directly used to estimate two-dimensional (2D) models of electromagnetic (EM) wave velocity in the subsurface. Such models are further contrasted with one-dimensional (1D) velocity models using GPR common mid-point surveys at selected locations. In order to estimate

Revisiting the Decision of Death in Hurst v. Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooke, Brian K; Ginory, Almari; Zedalis, Jennifer

2016-12-01

The United States Supreme Court has considered the question of whether a judge or a jury must make the findings necessary to support imposition of the death penalty in several notable cases, including Spaziano v. Florida (1984), Hildwin v. Florida (1989), and Ring v. Arizona (2002). In 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court revisited the subject in Hurst v. Florida Florida Statute § 921.141 allows the judge, after weighing aggravating and mitigating circumstances, to enter a sentence of life imprisonment or death. Before Hurst, Florida's bifurcated sentencing proceedings included an advisory sentence from jurors and a separate judicial hearing without juror involvement. In Hurst, the Court revisited the question of whether Florida's capital sentencing scheme violates the Sixth Amendment, which requires a jury, not a judge, to find each fact necessary to impose a sentence of death in light of Ring In an eight-to-one decision, the Court reversed the judgment of the Florida Supreme Court, holding that the Sixth Amendment requires a jury to find the aggravating factors necessary for imposing the death penalty. The role of Florida juries in capital sentencing proceedings was thereby elevated from advisory to determinative. We examine the Court's decision and offer commentary regarding this shift from judge to jury in the final imposition of the death penalty and the overall effect of this landmark case. © 2016 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

Aquatic vegetation were photographed from aircraft from Florida Bay, Indian River (Florida), and the Coast of Massachusetts (NODC Accession 0000411)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Aerial photographs were taken of the aquatic vegetation of Florida Bay, Indian River (Florida), and the Coast of Massachusetts. Photographs were scanned and...

Sexual Harassment Policies in Florida School Districts.

Science.gov (United States)

Rienzo, Barbara A.; Moore, Michele Johnson

1998-01-01

Investigated the extent to which Florida's school districts complied with the Florida Department of Education's (FDOE) recommendations for addressing sexual harassment in schools. Surveys of district equity coordinators and analysis of policies indicated that most districts approved sexual harassment policies incorporating many FDOE…

DIGITAL FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAP DATABASE, MIAMI - DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security — The Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) Database depicts flood risk information and supporting data used to develop the risk data. The primary risk...

2007 Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) Lidar Project: Southwest Florida

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) LAS dataset is a topographic survey conducted for a coalition of GIS practitioners, including the Florida Division of...

Northeast Florida Regional Sediment Management: Implementation Strategies and Recommendations for Nassau County and Duval County, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

2016-03-01

management strategies and alternatives are actively coordinated. DISCLAIMER: The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising , publication... Strategies and Recommendations for Nassau County and Duval County, Florida Co as ta l a nd H yd ra ul ic s La bo ra to ry Kevin C. Hodgens, Michael...Sediment Management Implementation Strategies and Recommendations for Nassau County and Duval County, Florida Kevin C. Hodgens and Michael P

7 CFR 1006.2 - Florida marketing area.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Florida marketing area. 1006.2 Section 1006.2 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE FLORIDA MARKETING AREA Order Regulating...

Economic analysis of biomass crop production in Florida

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rahmani, M.; Hodges, A.W.; Stricker, J.A.; Kiker, C.F. [University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)

1997-07-01

Favorable soil and climate conditions for production of biomass crops in Florida, and a market for their use, provide the essentials for developing a biomass energy system in the State. Recent surveys showed that there is low opportunity cost land available and several high yield herbaceous and woody crops have potential as biomass crops. Comparison of biomass crop yields, farmgate costs, and costs of final products in Florida and other states show that Florida can be considered as one of the best areas for development of biomass energy systems in the United States. This paper presents facts and figures on biomass production and conversion in Florida and addresses issues of concern to the economics of biomass energy in the State. (author)

Economic analysis of biomass crop production in Florida

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahmani, M.; Hodges, A.W.; Stricker, J.A.; Kiker, C.F.

1997-01-01

Favorable soil and climate conditions for production of biomass crops in Florida, and a market for their use, provide the essentials for developing a biomass energy system in the State. Recent surveys showed that there is low opportunity cost land available and several high yield herbaceous and woody crops have potential as biomass crops. Comparison of biomass crop yields, farmgate costs, and costs of final products in Florida and other states show that Florida can be considered as one of the best areas for development of biomass energy systems in the United States. This paper presents facts and figures on biomass production and conversion in Florida and addresses issues of concern to the economics of biomass energy in the State. (author)

Ground-water hydrology and simulation of ground-water flow at Operable Unit 3 and surrounding region, U.S. Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, J.H.

1998-01-01

The Naval Air Station, Jacksonville (herein referred to as the Station), occupies 3,800 acres adjacent to the St. Johns River in Duval County, Florida. Operable Unit 3 (OU3) occupies 134 acres on the eastern side of the Station and has been used for industrial and commercial purposes since World War II. Ground water contaminated by chlorinated organic compounds has been detected in the surficial aquifer at OU3. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a cooperative hydrologic study to evaluate the potential for ground water discharge to the neighboring St. Johns River. A ground-water flow model, previously developed for the area, was recalibrated for use in this study. At the Station, the surficial aquifer is exposed at land surface and forms the uppermost permeable unit. The aquifer ranges in thickness from 30 to 100 feet and consists of unconsolidated silty sands interbedded with local beds of clay. The low-permeability clays of the Hawthorn Group form the base of the aquifer. The USGS previously conducted a ground-water investigation at the Station that included the development and calibration of a 1-layer regional ground-water flow model. For this investigation, the regional model was recalibrated using additional data collected after the original calibration. The recalibrated model was then used to establish the boundaries for a smaller subregional model roughly centered on OU3. Within the subregional model, the surficial aquifer is composed of distinct upper and intermediate layers. The upper layer extends from land surface to a depth of approximately 15 feet below sea level; the intermediate layer extends from the upper layer down to the top of the Hawthorn Group. In the northern and central parts of OU3, the upper and intermediate layers are separated by a low-permeability clay layer. Horizontal hydraulic conductivities in the upper layer, determined from aquifer tests, range from 0.19 to 3.8 feet per day. The horizontal hydraulic

Project Startup: Evaluating the Performance of Hydraulic Hybrid Refuse Vehicles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2015-09-01

The Fleet Test and Evaluation Team at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is evaluating the in-service performance of 10 next-generation hydraulic hybrid refuse vehicles (HHVs), 8 previous-generation HHVs, and 8 comparable conventional diesel vehicles operated by Miami-Dade County's Public Works and Waste Management Department in southern Florida. The HHVs under study - Autocar E3 refuse trucks equipped with Parker Hannifin's RunWise Advanced Series Hybrid Drive systems - can recover as much as 70 percent of the energy typically lost during braking and reuse it to power the vehicle. NREL's evaluation will assess the performance of this technology in commercial operation and help Miami-Dade County determine the ideal routes for maximizing the fuel-saving potential of its HHVs.

Virginia Tech Wildlife Professor Helping To Save Florida Panther

OpenAIRE

Davis, Lynn

2003-01-01

With few Florida panthers now in existence, Mike Vaughan, Virginia Tech professor of wildlife and sciences in the College of Natural Resources, has been appointed to serve on the Florida Panther Scientific Review Team (SRT). Vaughan and other SRT members have made several trips to Naples, Fla., to interview state and federal biologists directly involved with the recovery of the Florida panther.

Improving adherence to alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency screening guidelines using the pulmonary function laboratory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luna Diaz LV

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Landy V Luna Diaz,1 Isabella Iupe,1 Bruno Zavala,1 Kira C Balestrini,1 Andrea Guerrero,1 Gregory Holt,1,2 Rafael Calderon-Candelario,1,2 Mehdi Mirsaeidi,1,2 Michael Campos1,21Miami Veterans Administration Medical Center, Miami, FL, 2Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USAAlpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD is the only well-recognized genetic disorder associated with an increased risk of emphysema and COPD.1 Identifying AATD allows genetic counseling and the chance to offer specific augmentation therapy to slow emphysema progression. Despite specific recommendations from the World Health Organization, American Thoracic Society and European Respiratory Society to screen all patients with COPD and other at-risk conditions,2–4 testing rates are low (<15%.5We conducted a project to improve AATD screening at the Miami VA Medical Center using the pulmonary function test (PFT laboratory. We instructed the PFT personnel to perform reflex testing on all patients with pre-bronchodilator airflow obstruction (forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity <70% and then evaluated if the screening was appropriate according to guidelines. Trained PFT personnel explained AATD disease to patients and provided them with an informational brochure. After obtaining verbal consent, AATD screening was performed using dried blood spot kits provided by the Alpha-1 Foundation as part of the Florida Screening Program (noncommercial.6 The PFT lab director was the responsible physician of record, in charge of discussing positive results to patients and documenting results in the electronic medical record. The Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center Institutional Review Board approved the protocol as a quality improvement project.

THE INCORPORATION OF THE USA ‘SCIENCE MADE SENSIBLE’ PROGRAM IN SOUTH AFRICAN PRIMARY SCHOOLS: A CROSS-CULTURAL APPROACH TO SCIENCE EDUCATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rian de Villiers

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The Science Made Sensible (SMS program began as a partnership between the University of Miami (UM, Florida, USA, and some public schools in Miami. In this program, postgraduate students from UM work with primary school science teachers to engage learners in science through the use of inquiry-based, hands-on activities. Due to the success of the SMS program in Miami, it was extended internationally. The SMS team (two Miami Grade 6/7 science teachers and two UM postgraduate students, 195 learners, and five South African teachers at two primary schools in Pretoria, South Africa, participated in this study. A quantitative research design was employed, and learners, teachers and UM postgraduate students used questionnaires to evaluate the SMS program. The results show that the SMS team was successful in reaching the SMS goals in these South African schools. More than 90% of the learners are of opinion that the SMS team from the USA made them more interested in the natural sciences and fostered an appreciation for the natural sciences. All the South African teachers plan to adopt and adapt some of the pedagogical strategies they learned from the SMS team. This article includes a discussion about the benefits of inquiry-based learning and the similarities and dissimilarities of USA and South Africa’s teaching methods in the science classrooms.

Through the looking glass on Cuba

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean Stubbs

2008-12-01

Full Text Available [First paragraph] State Resistance to Globalisation in Cuba. Antonio Carmona Báez. Sterling VA: Pluto Press, 2004. vii + 264 pp. (Paper US$ 29.95 La Lucha for Cuba: Religion and Politics on the Streets of Miami. Miguel A. de la Torre. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2003. xi + 181 pp. (Paper US$ 21.95 By Heart/De Memoria: Cuban Women’s Journeys in and out of Exile. María de los Angeles Torres (ed.. Philadelphia PA: Temple University Press, 2003. vii + 192 pp. (Paper US$ 19.95 Looking at Cuba: Essays on Culture and Civil Society. Rafael Hernández. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2003. vii + 145 pp. (Cloth US$ 24.95 In the politically charged world of scholarship on Cuba, it is salutary to comment in one review essay on four quite different volumes, each complementing the others. Three are single-authored, two on island Cuba (by Antonio Carmona Báez and Rafael Hernández and one on Miami (by Miguel A. de la Torre. All three draw on theory and concepts and are male-authored and place-centric (Cuba/Miami. The fourth (by María de los Angeles Torres is an edited collection of the personal testimonies of women seeking a place in between the hardened politics of Cuba and Miami.

Hurricanes accelerated the Florida-Bahamas lionfish invasion.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, Matthew W; Purkis, Sam J

2015-06-01

In this study, we demonstrate how perturbations to the Florida Current caused by hurricanes are relevant to the spread of invasive lionfish from Florida to the Bahamas. Without such perturbations, this current represents a potential barrier to the transport of planktonic lionfish eggs and larvae across the Straits of Florida. We further show that once lionfish became established in the Bahamas, hurricanes significantly hastened their spread through the island chain. We gain these insights through: (1) an analysis of the direction and velocity of simulated ocean currents during the passage of hurricanes through the Florida Straits and (2) the development of a biophysical model that incorporates the tolerances of lionfish to ocean climate, their reproductive strategy, and duration that the larvae remain viable in the water column. On the basis of this work, we identify 23 occasions between the years 1992 and 2006 in which lionfish were provided the opportunity to breach the Florida Current. We also find that hurricanes during this period increased the rate of spread of lionfish through the Bahamas by more than 45% and magnified its population by at least 15%. Beyond invasive lionfish, we suggest that extreme weather events such as hurricanes likely help to homogenize the gene pool for all Caribbean marine species susceptible to transport. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Clinical Investigation Program Annual Progress Report.

Science.gov (United States)

1985-09-30

Development of Subsensitivity to Chlorpheniramine. J Allergy Clin Immunol 76:103, 1985. (C) Weber, R.W. and Simon, P.J.: Eosinophilia , Mental Status Changes...Fourteenth Aspen Coiference on Pediatric Research, Aspen, CO, July 1985. (C) Opel, S.M., Cannady, P.B., Asp, A.A. and Morse, P.L.: The Epidemiology of ...Cholesteatoma of the Infratemporal Fossa. Presented: XIII World Congress of Otorhinolaryngology, Miami Beach, Florida, May 1985. Uroloqy Service Fauver

An Axisymmetric View of Concentric Eyewall Evolution in Hurricane Rita (2005)

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-01

of Hurricane Hugo (1989). Mon. Wea. Rev., 136, 1237–1259. Martinez, Y., G. Brunet, and M. K. Yau, 2010: On the dynamics of two-dimensional hurricane ...An Axisymmetric View of Concentric Eyewall Evolution in Hurricane Rita (2005) MICHAEL M. BELL Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, and... Hurricane Research Division, Miami, Florida WEN-CHAU LEE National Center for Atmospheric Research,* Boulder, Colorado (Manuscript received 23 June 2011, in

Impact of Lake Okeechobee Sea Surface Temperatures on Numerical Predictions of Summertime Convective Systems over South Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Case, Jonathan L.; Splitt, Michael E.; Fuell, Kevin K.; Santos, Pablo; Lazarus, Steven M.; Jedlovec, Gary J.

2009-01-01

The NASA Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center, the Florida Institute of Technology, and the NOAA/NWS Weather Forecast Office at Miami, FL (MFL) are collaborating on a project to investigate the impact of using high-resolution, 2-km Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sea surface temperature (SST) composites within the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) prediction system. The NWS MFL is currently running WRF in real-time to support daily forecast operations, using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Nonhydrostatic Mesoscale Model dynamical core within the NWS Science and Training Resource Center's Environmental Modeling System (EMS) software. Twenty-seven hour forecasts are run daily initialized at 0300, 0900, 1500, and 2100 UTC on a domain with 4-km grid spacing covering the southern half of Florida and adjacent waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. The SSTs are initialized with the NCEP Real-Time Global (RTG) analyses at 1/12deg resolution. The project objective is to determine whether more accurate specification of the lower-boundary forcing over water using the MODIS SST composites within the 4-km WRF runs will result in improved sea fluxes and hence, more accurate e\\olutiono f coastal mesoscale circulations and the associated sensible weather elements. SPoRT conducted parallel WRF EMS runs from February to August 2007 identical to the operational runs at NWS MFL except for the use of MODIS SST composites in place of the RTG product as the initial and boundary conditions over water. During the course of this evaluation, an intriguing case was examined from 6 May 2007, in which lake breezes and convection around Lake Okeechobee evolved quite differently when using the high-resolution SPoRT MODIS SST composites versus the lower-resolution RTG SSTs. This paper will analyze the differences in the 6 May simulations, as well as examine other cases from the summer 2007 in which the WRF

Behavior and transport of industrially derived plutonium in the Great Miami River, Ohio

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muller, R N; Sprugel, D G; Wayman, C W; Bartelt, G E; Bobula, C M [Argonne National Lab., Ill. (USA)

1977-11-01

Periodic discharges of industrial waste water containing small amounts of plutonium (/sup 238/Pu) into the Great Miami River of southwestern Ohio were studied to characterize the behavior of industrially derived plutonium in a flowing aquatic system. After entering this river, the plutonium rapidly separates into two components, one smaller than 0.45..mu..m (filterable) and one associated with larger suspended sediments (non-filterable). At any point downstream during the passage of a pulse, the ratio of filterable to non-filterable plutonium is about 1.0, while between pulses this ratio is in the range of 0.05-0.35. Mass balance calculations for one of these pulses showed that at moderate flow conditions (approximately 1000cf/s) about 60% of the effluent plutonium is lost through sedimentation within 9.7 km of the discharge point, but that continual resuspension of riverbed sediment results in a consistently high background plutonium flux between pulses.

South Florida embraces waste-to-energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lueck, G.W.

1991-01-01

This paper reports that some regions have prepared for these days of disposal shortage with comprehensive waste plans that include a strong WTE presence. Witness Broward County, Florida's program, 12 years in planning by public and private entities, Broward is the second most populated county in the state, with 1.3 million residents and a heavy tourist population, which, together, produce 1.6 million tons of waste annually. The disposal program includes Waste Management, Inc.'s expansion of a 400-acre Central Disposal Sanitary Landfill, the county's new 588-acre landfill, composting, and curbside pickup for recyclables. And, this south Florida plan would not be complete without the two brand new combustion plants. Clean Air and Water Acts notwithstanding, the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation can induce standards stricter than the federal government's due to the sensitive South Florida ecology. Wheelabrator was prepared for all eventualities with its design which uses state-of-the-art scrubbers, bag houses, and monitoring to track and capture the trace amounts of lead, cadmium, and mercury, which end up in the ash. In fact, tests at other Wheelabrator facilities using similar technology showed that heavy metals in leachate from the residue showed up in concentrations as much as 200 times lower than the EPA criteria for toxicity

Uranium contamination in the Great Miami Aquifer at the Fernald Environmental Management Project, Fernald, Ohio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sidle, W.C.

1996-01-01

Ground-water investigations at a former US Department of Energy nuclear weapons complex near Fernald, in southwestern Ohio, included the delineation of uranium contamination above the USEPA proposed drinking water standard of 20 microg/l. Contamination occurs in a buried valley and has migrated >1.5 km south-southeast of the facility boundary. Flooring of the plume(s) appears to be ≅ 32 m below the water table of the Great Miami Aquifer. U 6+ predominates in the modeled U-O 2 -CO 2 -H 2 O system and U retardation decreases at depth. U 234 /U 238 disequilibria analyses complement hydrogeologic studies which suggest that U leakage through the clayey till cap is less significant than the predominant transport pathway of infiltration via drainage channels incised into the aquifer

Surface-Water and Groundwater Interactions along the Withlacoochee River, West-Central Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Trommer, J.T.; Yobbi, D.K.; McBride, W.S.

2009-01-01

A study of the Withlacoochee River watershed in west-central Florida was conducted from October 2003 to March 2007 to gain a better understanding of the hydrology and surface-water and groundwater interactions along the river. The Withlacoochee River originates in the Green Swamp area in north-central Polk County and flows northerly through seven counties, emptying into the Gulf of Mexico. This study includes only the part of the watershed located between the headwaters in the Green Swamp and the U.S. Geological Survey gaging station near Holder, Florida. The Withlacoochee River within the study area is about 108 miles long and drains about 1,820 square miles. The Withlacoochee River watershed is underlain by thick sequences of carbonate rock that are covered by thin surficial deposits of unconsolidated sand and sandy clay. The clay layer is breached in many places because of the karst nature of the underlying limestone, and the degree of confinement between the Upper Florida aquifer and the surficial aquifer is highly variable throughout the watershed. The potential for movement of water from the surface or shallow deposits to deeper deposits, or from deeper deposits to the shallow deposits, exists throughout the Withlacoochee River watershed. Water levels were higher in deeper Upper Floridan aquifer wells than in shallow Upper Floridan aquifer wells or surficial aquifer wells at 11 of 19 paired or nested well sites, indicating potential for discharge to the surface-water system. Water levels were higher in shallow Upper Floridan aquifer or surficial aquifer wells than in deeper Upper Floridan aquifer wells at five other sites, indicating potential for recharge to the deeper Upper Floridan aquifer. Water levels in the surficial aquifer and Upper Floridan aquifer wells at the remaining three sites were virtually the same, indicating little or no confinement at the sites. Potentiometric-surface maps of the Upper Floridan aquifer indicate the pattern of groundwater

Regional acidification trends in Florida shellfish estuaries: A 20+ year look at pH, oxygen, temperature, and salinity

Science.gov (United States)

Robbins, Lisa L.; Lisle, John T.

2018-01-01

Increasing global CO2 and local land use changes coupled with increased nutrient pollution are threatening estuaries worldwide. Local changes of estuarine chemistry have been documented, but regional associations and trends comparing multiple estuaries latitudinally have not been evaluated. Rapid climate change has impacted the annual and decadal chemical trends in estuaries, with local ecosystem processes enhancing or mitigating the responses. Here, we compare pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity data from 10 Florida shellfish estuaries and hundreds of shellfish bed stations. Over 80,000 measurements, spanning from 1980 to 2008, taken on Atlantic Ocean and West Florida coast showed significant regional trends of consistent pH decreases in 8 out of the 10 estuaries, with an average rate of decrease on the Gulf of Mexico side estuaries of Florida of 7.3 × 10−4 pH units year−1, and average decrease on the Atlantic Coast estuaries of 5.0 × 10−4 pH units year−1. The rates are approximately 2–3.4 times slower than observed in pH decreases associated with ocean acidification in the Atlantic and Pacific. Other significant trends observed include decreasing dissolved oxygen in 9 out of the 10 estuaries, increasing salinity in 6 out of the 10, and temperature increases in 3 out of the 10 estuaries. The data provide a synoptic regional view of Florida estuary trends which reflect the complexity of changing climate and coastal ocean acidification superimposed on local conditions. These data provide context for understanding, and interpreting the past and predicting future of regional water quality health of shellfish and other organisms of commercial and ecological significance along Florida’s coasts.

Regional acidification trends in Florida shellfish estuaries: A 20+ year look at pH, oxygen, temperature and salinity

Science.gov (United States)

Robbins, Lisa L.; Lisle, John T.

2018-01-01

Increasing global CO2 and local land use changes coupled with increased nutrient pollution are threatening estuaries worldwide. Local changes of estuarine chemistry have been documented, but regional associations and trends comparing multiple estuaries latitudinally have not been evaluated. Rapid climate change has impacted the annual and decadal chemical trends in estuaries, with local ecosystem processes enhancing or mitigating the responses. Here, we compare pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity data from 10 Florida shellfish estuaries and hundreds of shellfish bed stations. Over 80,000 measurements, spanning from 1980 to 2008, taken on Atlantic Ocean and West Florida coast showed significant regional trends of consistent pH decreases in 8 out of the 10 estuaries, with an average rate of decrease on the Gulf of Mexico side estuaries of Florida of 7.3 × 10−4 pH units year−1, and average decrease on the Atlantic Coast estuaries of 5.0 × 10−4 pH units year−1. The rates are approximately 2–3.4 times slower than observed in pH decreases associated with ocean acidification in the Atlantic and Pacific. Other significant trends observed include decreasing dissolved oxygen in 9 out of the 10 estuaries, increasing salinity in 6 out of the 10, and temperature increases in 3 out of the 10 estuaries. The data provide a synoptic regional view of Florida estuary trends which reflect the complexity of changing climate and coastal ocean acidification superimposed on local conditions. These data provide context for understanding, and interpreting the past and predicting future of regional water quality health of shellfish and other organisms of commercial and ecological significance along Florida’s coasts.

Landscape Analysis of Adult Florida Panther Habitat.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert A Frakes

Full Text Available Historically occurring throughout the southeastern United States, the Florida panther is now restricted to less than 5% of its historic range in one breeding population located in southern Florida. Using radio-telemetry data from 87 prime-aged (≥3 years old adult panthers (35 males and 52 females during the period 2004 through 2013 (28,720 radio-locations, we analyzed the characteristics of the occupied area and used those attributes in a random forest model to develop a predictive distribution map for resident breeding panthers in southern Florida. Using 10-fold cross validation, the model was 87.5 % accurate in predicting presence or absence of panthers in the 16,678 km2 study area. Analysis of variable importance indicated that the amount of forests and forest edge, hydrology, and human population density were the most important factors determining presence or absence of panthers. Sensitivity analysis showed that the presence of human populations, roads, and agriculture (other than pasture had strong negative effects on the probability of panther presence. Forest cover and forest edge had strong positive effects. The median model-predicted probability of presence for panther home ranges was 0.81 (0.82 for females and 0.74 for males. The model identified 5579 km2 of suitable breeding habitat remaining in southern Florida; 1399 km2 (25% of this habitat is in non-protected private ownership. Because there is less panther habitat remaining than previously thought, we recommend that all remaining breeding habitat in south Florida should be maintained, and the current panther range should be expanded into south-central Florida. This model should be useful for evaluating the impacts of future development projects, in prioritizing areas for panther conservation, and in evaluating the potential impacts of sea-level rise and changes in hydrology.

Landscape Analysis of Adult Florida Panther Habitat.

Science.gov (United States)

Frakes, Robert A; Belden, Robert C; Wood, Barry E; James, Frederick E

2015-01-01

Historically occurring throughout the southeastern United States, the Florida panther is now restricted to less than 5% of its historic range in one breeding population located in southern Florida. Using radio-telemetry data from 87 prime-aged (≥3 years old) adult panthers (35 males and 52 females) during the period 2004 through 2013 (28,720 radio-locations), we analyzed the characteristics of the occupied area and used those attributes in a random forest model to develop a predictive distribution map for resident breeding panthers in southern Florida. Using 10-fold cross validation, the model was 87.5 % accurate in predicting presence or absence of panthers in the 16,678 km2 study area. Analysis of variable importance indicated that the amount of forests and forest edge, hydrology, and human population density were the most important factors determining presence or absence of panthers. Sensitivity analysis showed that the presence of human populations, roads, and agriculture (other than pasture) had strong negative effects on the probability of panther presence. Forest cover and forest edge had strong positive effects. The median model-predicted probability of presence for panther home ranges was 0.81 (0.82 for females and 0.74 for males). The model identified 5579 km2 of suitable breeding habitat remaining in southern Florida; 1399 km2 (25%) of this habitat is in non-protected private ownership. Because there is less panther habitat remaining than previously thought, we recommend that all remaining breeding habitat in south Florida should be maintained, and the current panther range should be expanded into south-central Florida. This model should be useful for evaluating the impacts of future development projects, in prioritizing areas for panther conservation, and in evaluating the potential impacts of sea-level rise and changes in hydrology.

Human enteric viruses in groundwater indicate offshore transport of human sewage to coral reefs of the Upper Florida Keys

Science.gov (United States)

Futch, J. Carrie; Griffin, Dale W.; Lipp, Erin K.

2010-01-01

To address the issue of human sewage reaching corals along the main reef of the Florida Keys, samples were collected from surface water, groundwater and coral [surface mucopolysaccharide layers (SML)] along a 10 km transect near Key Largo, FL. Samples were collected semi-annually between July 2003 and September 2005 and processed for faecal indicator bacteria (faecal coliform bacteria, enterococci and Clostridium perfringens) and human-specific enteric viruses (enterovirus RNA and adenovirus DNA) by (RT)-nested polymerase chain reaction. Faecal indicator bacteria concentrations were generally higher nearshore and in the coral SML. Enteric viruses were evenly distributed across the transect stations. Adenoviruses were detected in 37 of 75 samples collected (49.3%) whereas enteroviruses were only found in 8 of 75 samples (10.7%). Both viruses were detected twice as frequently in coral compared with surface water or groundwater. Offshore, viruses were most likely to be found in groundwater, especially during the wet summer season. These data suggest that polluted groundwater may be moving to the outer reef environment in the Florida Keys.

A calibrated, high-resolution goes satellite solar insolation product for a climatology of Florida evapotranspiration

Science.gov (United States)

Paech, S.J.; Mecikalski, J.R.; Sumner, D.M.; Pathak, C.S.; Wu, Q.; Islam, S.; Sangoyomi, T.

2009-01-01

Estimates of incoming solar radiation (insolation) from Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite observations have been produced for the state of Florida over a 10-year period (1995-2004). These insolation estimates were developed into well-calibrated half-hourly and daily integrated solar insolation fields over the state at 2 km resolution, in addition to a 2-week running minimum surface albedo product. Model results of the daily integrated insolation were compared with ground-based pyranometers, and as a result, the entire dataset was calibrated. This calibration was accomplished through a three-step process: (1) comparison with ground-based pyranometer measurements on clear (noncloudy) reference days, (2) correcting for a bias related to cloudiness, and (3) deriving a monthly bias correction factor. Precalibration results indicated good model performance, with a station-averaged model error of 2.2 MJ m-2/day (13%). Calibration reduced errors to 1.7 MJ m -2/day (10%), and also removed temporal-related, seasonal-related, and satellite sensor-related biases. The calibrated insolation dataset will subsequently be used by state of Florida Water Management Districts to produce statewide, 2-km resolution maps of estimated daily reference and potential evapotranspiration for water management-related activities. ?? 2009 American Water Resources Association.

Florida Public Health Training Center: Evidence-Based Online Mentor Program

Science.gov (United States)

Frahm, Kathryn A.; Alsac-Seitz, Biray; Mescia, Nadine; Brown, Lisa M.; Hyer, Kathy; Liburd, Desiree; Rogoff, David P.; Troutman, Adewale

2013-01-01

This article describes an Online Mentor Program (OMP) designed to support and facilitate mentorships among and between Florida Department of Health (FDOH) employees and USF College of Public Health students using a Web-based portal. The Florida Public Health Training Center (FPHTC) at the University of South Florida (USF) College of Public Health…

Project O.R.B (Operation Reef Ball): Creating Artificial Reefs, Educating the Community

Science.gov (United States)

Phipps, A.

2012-04-01

The Project O.R.B. (Operation Reef Ball) team at South Plantation High School's Everglades Restoration & Environmental Science Magnet Program is trying to help our ailing south Florida coral reefs by constructing, deploying, and monitoring designed artificial reefs. Students partnered with the Reef Ball Foundation, local concrete companies, state parks, Girl Scouts, Sea Scouts, local universities and environmental agencies to construct concrete reef balls, each weighing approximately 500 lbs (227 kg). Students then deployed two artificial reefs consisting of over 30 concrete reef balls in two sites previously permitted for artificial reef deployment. One artificial reef was placed approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) offshore of Golden Beach in Miami-Dade County with the assistance of Florida Atlantic University and their research vessel. A twin reef was deployed at the mouth of the river in Oleta River State Park in Miami. Monitoring and maintenance of the sites is ongoing with semi-annual reports due to the Reef Ball Foundation and DERM (Department of Environmental Resource Management) of Miami-Dade County. A second goal of Project O.R.B. is aligned with the Florida Local Action Strategy, the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative, and the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, all of which point out the importance of awareness and education as key components to the health of our coral reefs. Project O.R.B. team members developed and published an activity book targeting elementary school students. Outreach events incorporate cascade learning where high school students teach elementary and middle school students about various aspects of coral reefs through interactive "edu-tainment" modules. Attendees learn about water sampling, salinity, beach erosion, surface runoff, water cycle, ocean zones, anatomy of coral, human impact on corals, and characteristics of a well-designed artificial reef. Middle school students snorkel on the artificial reef to witness first-hand the success

CHARACTERISTICS OF FLORIDA FILL MATERIALS AND SOILS 1990

Science.gov (United States)

The report gives results of laboratory work by the University of Florida in support of the Foundation Fill Data Base project of the Foundation Fill Materials Specifications Task Area of the Florida Radon Research Program (FRRP). Work included determination of radon concentrations...

CDOM Distribution and Dynamics in a Mangrove Ecosystem along the Shark River, Florida Everglades

Science.gov (United States)

Andrew, A. A.; del Castillo, C. E.

2016-02-01

Mangrove forests, a fraction of tropical forest, are in general a disproportionately important component in the global carbon cycle. Mangroves are highly productive, sequestering CO2 at rates higher than many other ecosystems, however more than half of this fixed carbon cannot be accounted for. Additionally, as they sit at the intersection of land and ocean, it's hypothesized that a large fraction of DOC transformations occur in these ecosystems and represent a major sink of terrigenous DOM. These factors highlight the importance of understanding mangrove environments in terms of DOM optical signals as well as reactivity upon light absorption. Here, we present the CDOM dynamics and distribution for a mangrove ecosystem in the Shark River, along the Southwest coast of Florida, part of the largest contiguous mangrove forest in North America. Station sampling of the study area occurred over 4 cruises, approximately one week in length: October 2014, March 2015, July 2015 and September 2015. Most of the stations were along the Shark River, with a smaller number in the vicinity of Tarpon bay and Harney River. Optical measurements of CDOM absorption and fluorescence, fluorescence quantum yields, DOC and spectral slope were obtained for over 70 stations in the study area. The spatial distribution of these optical properties are presented including their relation to salinity and tidal patterns in the study area. Additionally, we present the wavelength dependent quantum photoproduction efficiencies of DIC obtained via irradiation experiments of selective samples in the study area.

Satellite-Observed Black Water Events off Southwest Florida: Implications for Coral Reef Health in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

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Brian Lapointe

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A “black water” event, as observed from satellites, occurred off southwest Florida in 2012. Satellite observations suggested that the event started in early January and ended in mid-April 2012. The black water patch formed off central west Florida and advected southward towards Florida Bay and the Florida Keys with the shelf circulation, which was confirmed by satellite-tracked surface drifter trajectories. Compared with a previous black water event in 2002, the 2012 event was weaker in terms of spatial and temporal coverage. An in situ survey indicated that the 2012 black water patch contained toxic K. brevis and had relatively low CDOM (colored dissolved organic matter and turbidity but high chlorophyll-a concentrations, while salinity was somewhat high compared with historical values. Further analysis revealed that the 2012 black water was formed by the K. brevis bloom initiated off central west Florida in late September 2011, while river runoff, Trichodesmium and possibly submarine groundwater discharge also played important roles in its formation. Black water patches can affect benthic coral reef communities by decreasing light availability at the bottom, and enhanced nutrient concentrations from black water patches support massive macroalgae growth that can overgrow coral reefs. It is thus important to continue the integrated observations where satellites provide synoptic and repeated observations of such adverse water quality events.

Intercontinental spread of a genetically distinctive complex of clones of Neisseria meningitidis causing epidemic disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Caugant, D A; Frøholm, L O; Bøvre, K; Holten, E; Frasch, C E; Mocca, L F; Zollinger, W D; Selander, R K

1986-07-01

Strains of Neisseria meningitidis responsible for an epidemic of meningococcal disease occurring in Norway since the mid-1970s and for recent increases in the incidence of disease in several other parts of Europe have been identified by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis as members of a distinctive group of 22 closely related clones (the ET-5 complex). Clones of this complex have also colonized South Africa, Chile, Cuba, and Florida, where they have been identified as the causative agents of recent outbreaks of meningococcal disease. There is strong circumstantial evidence that outbreaks of disease occurring in Miami in 1981 and 1982 were caused in large part by bacteria that reached Florida via human immigrants from Cuba.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations across the Florida Panhandle continental shelf and slope after the BP MC 252 well failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Snyder, Richard A.; Ederington-Hagy, Melissa; Hileman, Fredrick; Moss, Joseph A.; Amick, Lauren; Carruth, Rebecca; Head, Marie; Marks, Joel; Tominack, Sarah; Jeffrey, Wade H.

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: The R/V Bellows, Florida Institute of Oceanography (FIO), with faculty and students from the University of West Florida (UWF), sampling mats of oil floating over the continental shelf south of Pensacola Florida during the BP MC 252 well failure. PAH concentrations in sediments on the shelf declined over time after the well was capped with a half life of ∼200 days. - Highlights: • PAHs concentrations were highest in slope sediments near the failed well site. • PAH concentrations in the shelf sediments were highest during the oil spill. • PAHs concentrations declined over time since the spill. - Abstract: The Florida Panhandle continental shelf environment was exposed to oil from the BP oil well failure in the Gulf of Mexico during 2010. Floating mats of oil were documented by satellite, but the distribution of dissolved components of the oil in this region was unknown. Shipek® grab samples of sediments were taken during repeated cruises between June 2010 and June 2012 to test for selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as indicators of this contamination. Sediments were collected as composite samples, extracted using standard techniques, and PAHs were quantified by GC/MS-SIM. PAHs in samples from the continental slope in May 2011 were highest near to the failed well site and were reduced in samples taken one year later. PAHs from continental shelf sediments during the spill (June 2010) ranged from 10 to 165 ng g −1 . Subsequent cruises yielded variable and reduced amounts of PAHs across the shelf. The data suggest that PAHs were distributed widely across the shelf, and their subsequent loss to background levels suggests these compounds were of oil spill origin. PAH half-life estimates by regression were 70–122 days for slope and 201 days for shelf stations

Avocado pests in Florida: Not what you expected

Science.gov (United States)

Avocado, Persea americana Mill., is Florida's second most important fruit crop after citrus. Until recently, the complex of spider mite and insect pests that affected avocado in south Florida was under a 20 year Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. The recent invasion of avocado orchards by a...

First report of a Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) in Cuba

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarez-Aleman, Anmari; Beck, Cathy A.; Powell, James A.

2010-01-01

Manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) in Florida utilize intake and effluent canals of power plants as resting and thermoregulatory habitat. We report the use of a power plant canal in Cuba by a known Florida manatee, the first documented case of movement by a manatee between Florida and Cuba. In January, February, and April 2007, two manatees (mother and calf) were reported entering a power plant canal in north Havana, Cuba. The larger manatee had several distinctive scars which were photographed. Digital images were matched to a previously known Florida manatee (CR131) with a sighting history dating from December 1979 to July 2006. Exchanges of individuals between Florida and Cuba may have important genetic implications, particularly since there appears to be little genetic exchange between the Florida manatee subspecies with populations of the Antillean manatee subspecies (T. m. manatus) in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

Accelerated sea level rise and Florida Current transport

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Park

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The Florida Current is the headwater of the Gulf Stream and is a component of the North Atlantic western boundary current from which a geostrophic balance between sea surface height and mass transport directly influence coastal sea levels along the Florida Straits. A linear regression of daily Florida Current transport estimates does not find a significant change in transport over the last decade; however, a nonlinear trend extracted from empirical mode decomposition (EMD suggests a 3 Sv decline in mean transport. This decline is consistent with observed tide gauge records in Florida Bay and the straits exhibiting an acceleration of mean sea level (MSL rise over the decade. It is not known whether this recent change represents natural variability or the onset of the anticipated secular decline in Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC; nonetheless, such changes have direct impacts on the sensitive ecological systems of the Everglades as well as the climate of western Europe and eastern North America.

Potential feedstock sources for ethanol production in Florida

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rahmani, Mohammad [Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States); Hodges, Alan [Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)

2015-10-01

This study presents information on the potential feedstock sources that may be used for ethanol production in Florida. Several potential feedstocks for fuel ethanol production in Florida are discussed, such as, sugarcane, corn, citrus byproducts and sweet sorghum. Other probable impacts need to be analyzed for sugarcane to ethanol production as alternative uses of sugarcane may affect the quantity of sugar production in Florida. While citrus molasses is converted to ethanol as an established process, the cost of ethanol is higher, and the total amount of citrus molasses per year is insignificant. Sorghum cultivars have the potential for ethanol production. However, the agricultural practices for growing sweet sorghum for ethanol have not been established, and the conversion process must be tested and developed at a more expanded level. So far, only corn shipped from other states to Florida has been considered for ethanol production on a commercial scale. The economic feasibility of each of these crops requires further data and technical analysis.

Florida statewide radiation study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagda, N.L.; Koontz, M.D.; Fortmann, R.C.; Schoenborn, W.A.; Mehegan, L.L.

1987-01-01

Florida phosphate deposits contain higher levels of uranium than most other soils and rocks, thus exposing the population to higher-than-desirable levels of radon and its short-lived daughters. The Florida Legislature ordered a survey of significant land areas where an environmental radiation standard should be applied. Among other things, the study assessed indoor radon in 6,000 homes, soil radon at 3,000 residences, and all data existing prior to the study. The report explains the purpose of the study, how it was designed and conducted, and its results. It concludes with a discussion of radon/radon decay product equilibrium factor, correlation between indoor and soil radon, and preliminary attempts to develop a safe threshold for soil radon below which few elevated indoor levels would be anticipated

Impacts of the 2010 Haitian earthquake in the diaspora: findings from Little Haiti, Miami, FL.

Science.gov (United States)

Kobetz, Erin; Menard, Janelle; Kish, Jonathan; Bishop, Ian; Hazan, Gabrielle; Nicolas, Guerda

2013-04-01

In January 2010, a massive earthquake struck Haiti resulting in unprecedented damage. Little attention, however, has focused on the earthquake's mental health impact in the Haitian diaspora community. As part of an established community-based participatory research initiative in Little Haiti, the predominately Haitian neighborhood in Miami, FL, USA, community health workers conducted surveys with neighborhood residents about earthquake-related losses, coping strategies, and depressive/traumatic symptomology. Findings reveal the earthquake strongly impacted the diaspora community and highlights prominent coping strategies. Following the earthquake, only a small percentage of participants self-reported engaging in any negative health behaviors. Instead, a majority relied on their social networks for support. This study contributes to the discourse on designing culturally-responsive mental health initiatives for the Haitian diaspora and the ability of existing community-academic partnerships to rapidly adapt to community needs.

Florida Progress Corporation 1991 annual report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

Florida Progress Corporation is a utility holding company with assets of 5 billion dollars. Its principal subsidiary is the Florida Power Corporation; others are the Electric Fuels Corporation, the Mid-Continent Life Assurance Company, the Talquin Corporation, the Progress Credit Corporation and Advanced Separation Technologies Incorporated. The annual report describes achievements during the year. To meet growing energy demand Florida Power is building new peaking and base-load generating units, purchasing power from neighbouring utilities and cogenerators, and building more bulk power transmission line capacity in the state. Emphasis has been placed on meeting load growth by demand-site management. Attention is given to balancing energy needs with concerns for the environment, and there is an award-winning recycling program. The Electric Fuels Corporation major area of business is coal mining and transportation services. Advanced Separation Technologies has sold several of its patented ion separation machines. The report includes consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 1991

The Role of Physical-Chemical Factors in Structuring Subtidal Marine and Estuarine Benthos.

Science.gov (United States)

1983-06-01

eastern shores of the Americas, typically from Miami, Florida, south- west to the Dry Tortugas ; the Caribbean Island, including Puerto Rico and the...in high-energy shallow shelf areas has also been documented for much of the temperate open coast of western North America ( Carey 1965, 1972; Lie 1969...Hart and S. U. H. Fuller, eds., Academic Press, New York, pp. 293-323. Carey , A. G., Jr. 1965. "Preliminary Studies of Animal-Sediment

Fibre Laser Welding of HY-80 Steel: Procedure Development and Testing

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-01

2 Welding The material used in this study was quenched and tempered martensitic HY80 steel which conforms to MIL-S-1621 [2]. The testing...Journal, 1977. [4] AWS, D1.6 in Structural Welding Code Stainless Steel . 2007, American Welding Society: Miami Florida. [5] DefStan, 02-770 Part 2...Canada Fibre Laser Welding of HY-80 Steel Proceedure Development and Testing Christopher Bayley DLP Neil Aucoin DLP Xinjin Cao NRC IAR AMTC Technical

Veterans in an unnamed war: Hidden abuse, truth-telling, resistance and recovery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prescott Laura

2004-01-01

Full Text Available The author is the president and founder of Sister Witness International Inc a new organization of formerly institutionalized women, girls, and their allies. She is also a recovering addict, psychiatric expatient, and survivor of childhood abuse. The article is an edited version of a keynote address given at the 2nd annual convention of the International Society of Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses in Miami, Florida, on April 28, 2000.

A comparison of the morphological and physiochemical characteristics of 14 carambola cultivars

Science.gov (United States)

A variety trial of 14 different carambola (Averrhoa carambola, L.) cultivars was conducted at the National Germplasm Repository, Subtropical Horticultural Research Station in Miami, FL. The study compared the morphological and physicochemical characteristics of 14 carambola varieties grown at the re...

Evaluation of the Performance Characteristics of CGLSS II and U.S. NLDN Using Ground-Truth Dalta from Launch Complex 398, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Mata, C. T.; Mata, A. G.; Rakov, V. A.; Nag, A.; Saul, J.

2012-01-01

A new comprehensive lightning instrumentation system has been designed for Launch Complex 39B (LC39B) at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. This new instrumentation system includes seven synchronized high-speed video cameras, current sensors installed on the nine downconductors of the new lightning protection system (LPS) for LC39B; four dH/dt, 3-axis measurement stations; and five dE/dt stations composed of two antennas each. The LPS received 8 direct lightning strikes (a total of 19 strokes) from March 31 through December 31 2011. The measured peak currents and locations are compared to those reported by the Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Surveillance System (CGLSS II) and the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN). Results of comparison are presented and analyzed in this paper.

Characteristic community structure of Florida's subtropical wetlands: the Florida wetland condition index

Science.gov (United States)

Depending upon the classification scheme applied, there are between 10 and 45 different wetland types in Florida. Land use and land cover change has a marked effect on wetland condition, and different wetland types are affected differentially depending on many abiotic and biotic ...

40 CFR 81.95 - Central Florida Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Quality Control Regions § 81.95 Central Florida Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Central Florida Intrastate Air Quality Control Region consists of the territorial area encompassed by the boundaries of the... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Central Florida Intrastate Air Quality...

Development of a Florida Seafood Program Using a Multi-Disciplinary Team

Science.gov (United States)

Abeels, Holly; Fluech, Bryan; Krimsky, Lisa; Saari, Brooke; Shephard, Elizabeth; Zamojski, Kendra

2015-01-01

The seafood industry in Florida is complex, with more than 80 varieties of Florida seafood commodities and an increasing number of imported products. This variety increases consumer confusion, especially with the growing concern about the origin, sustainability, and safety of seafood products. The objective of the Florida Seafood At Your…

Clusters of Adolescent and Young Adult Thyroid Cancer in Florida Counties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raid Amin

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Thyroid cancer is a common cancer in adolescents and young adults ranking 4th in frequency. Thyroid cancer has captured the interest of epidemiologists because of its strong association to environmental factors. The goal of this study is to identify thyroid cancer clusters in Florida for the period 2000–2008. This will guide further discovery of potential risk factors within areas of the cluster compared to areas not in cluster. Methods. Thyroid cancer cases for ages 15–39 were obtained from the Florida Cancer Data System. Next, using the purely spatial Poisson analysis function in SaTScan, the geographic distribution of thyroid cancer cases by county was assessed for clusters. The reference population was obtained from the Census Bureau 2010, which enabled controlling for population age, sex, and race. Results. Two statistically significant clusters of thyroid cancer clusters were found in Florida: one in southern Florida (SF (relative risk of 1.26; P value of <0.001 and the other in northwestern Florida (NWF (relative risk of 1.71; P value of 0.012. These clusters persisted after controlling for demographics including sex, age, race. Conclusion. In summary, we found evidence of thyroid cancer clustering in South Florida and North West Florida for adolescents and young adult.

Florida's Mandated Educational Leadership Program Redesign: The William Cecil Golden Touch

Science.gov (United States)

Mountford, Meredith; Acker-Hocevar, Michele A.

2013-01-01

In 2007, educational leadership programs in Florida were notified by Florida's Department of Education of a law requiring all programs to align with new legislation, State Rule 6A-5.081. Previously, most state-approved preparation programs were based on Florida's Leadership Preparation Standards, a version of the 1996 Interstate School Leadership…

MIAMI: Microscope and ion accelerator for materials investigations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hinks, J. A.; Berg, J. A. van den; Donnelly, S. E.

2011-01-01

A transmission electron microscope (TEM) with in situ ion irradiation has been built at the University of Salford, U.K. The system consists of a Colutron G-2 ion source connected to a JEOL JEM-2000FX TEM via an in-house designed and constructed ion beam transport system. The ion source can deliver ion energies from 0.5 to 10 keV for singly charged ions and can be floated up to 100 kV to allow acceleration to higher energies. Ion species from H to Xe can be produced for the full range of energies allowing the investigation of implantation with light ions such as helium as well as the effects of displacing irradiation with heavy inert or self-ions. The ability to implant light ions at energies low enough such that they come to rest within the thickness of a TEM sample and to also irradiate with heavier species at energies sufficient to cause large numbers of atomic displacements makes this facility ideally suited to the study of materials for use in nuclear environments. TEM allows the internal microstructure of a sample to be imaged at the nanoscale. By irradiating in situ it is possible to observe the dynamic evolution of radiation damage which can occur during irradiation as a result of competing processes within the system being studied. Furthermore, experimental variables such as temperature can be controlled and maintained throughout both irradiation and observation. This combination of capabilities enables an understanding of the underlying atomistic processes to be gained and thus gives invaluable insights into the fundamental physics governing the response of materials to irradiation. Details of the design and specifications of the MIAMI facility are given along with examples of initial experimental results in silicon and silicon carbide.

Development of the Future Physicists of Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Wade, A.; Weatherford, C.; Cottle, P.; Fannin, S.; Roberts, W.; Fauerbach, M.; Ponti, L.; Sear, J.

2013-03-01

We present the development of the ``Future Physicists of Florida'' (FPF) comprised of Florida university physics professors, middle and high school science teachers, and backed by the Florida Legislature. Our purpose is to address the lack of incoming college freshmen ready and willing to become physics majors. We will discuss the building of FPF and the development of a pipeline for middle and high school students predicted to produce the optimal number of bachelor's degrees in STEM. We will also discuss our use of community-building activities to educate the students, and their parents and teachers about the educational value of taking physics before going to college and potential careers in physics, to entertain them with fun physics related activities in order to peak their interest in physics, and to ultimately inspire the students to become physicists.

Florida's forests-2005 update

Science.gov (United States)

Mark J. Brown

2007-01-01

This bulletin highlights principal findings of an annual inventory of Florida's forests. Data summaries are based on measurements of 60 percent of the plots in the State. Additional data summaries and bulletins will be published as the remaining plots are measured.

Consequences of dramatic reductions in state tobacco control funds: Florida, 1998-2000.

Science.gov (United States)

Niederdeppe, J; Farrelly, M C; Hersey, J C; Davis, K C

2008-06-01

This study assessed whether dramatic funding reductions to the Florida Tobacco Control Program (FTCP) influenced trends in recall of the Florida "truth" anti-smoking media campaign, anti-industry attitudes and non-smoking intentions among Florida teens. We used an interrupted time series technique to test for differences in the rates of change in Florida "truth" recall, anti-industry beliefs and non-smoking intentions before and after the FTCP budget cuts using the Florida Anti-tobacco Media Evaluation (FAME) survey, a repeated cross-sectional telephone survey of Florida teens. Recall of the Florida "truth" anti-smoking campaign, anti-industry attitudes, and non-smoking intentions increased dramatically between April 1998 and May 1999. Florida "truth" recall declined after FTCP budget cuts in June 1999. Anti-industry beliefs and non-smoking intentions plateaued or began to decline after the budget cuts. The launch of the national "truth" campaign in February 2000 may have offset otherwise deleterious effects of the budget cuts on anti-industry beliefs, but not smoking intentions. Reductions in tobacco control funding have immediate effects on programme exposure and cognitive precursors to smoking initiation. There is a critical need to maintain and enhance funding for state tobacco control programmes to continue nationwide progress in preventing youth from initiating cigarette smoking.

Comparative Effectiveness of PCI Education's "PCI Reading Program": Phase 2--A Report of a Comparison Group Study in Brevard Public Schools and Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Research Summary

Science.gov (United States)

Empirical Education Inc., 2010

2010-01-01

PCI Education sought scientifically based evidence on the comparative effectiveness of the "PCI Reading Program" through a five-year longitudinal study. Phase 1 of the study consisted of a randomized control trial studying the efficacy of the "PCI Reading Program-Level One" that was conducted in the 2007-2008 in Miami-Dade…

Phased Retrofits in Existing Homes in Florida Phase II. Shallow Plus Retrofits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sutherland, K. [Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction, Cocoa, FL (United States); Parker, D. [Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction, Cocoa, FL (United States); Martin, E. [Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction, Cocoa, FL (United States); Chasar, D. [Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction, Cocoa, FL (United States); Amos, B. [Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction, Cocoa, FL (United States)

2016-02-01

The BAPIRC team and Florida Power and Light (FPL) electric utility pursued a pilot phased energy-efficiency retrofit program in Florida by creating detailed data on the energy and economic performance of two levels of retrofit - simple and deep. For this Phased Deep Retrofit (PDR) project, a total of 56 homes spread across the utility partner's territory in east central Florida, southeast Florida, and southwest Florida were instrumented between August 2012 and January 2013, and received simple pass-through retrofit measures during the period of March 2013 - June 2013. Ten of these homes received a deeper package of retrofits during August 2013 - December 2013.

The effects of natural and induced short-term floods on four sugarcane accessions

Science.gov (United States)

A study was initiated at the USDA/ARS Subtropical Horticulture Research Station, Miami, FL to evaluate the potential for flood tolerance in several accessions from Saccharum barberi (Jeswiet) and S. sinense (Roxb. Amend. Jeswiet) sugarcane genera. The experimental design included 4 accessions, Kewal...

Florida's model of nursing home Medicaid reimbursement for disaster-related expenses.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Kali S; Hyer, Kathryn; Brown, Lisa M; Polivka-West, LuMarie; Branch, Laurence G

2010-04-01

This study describes Florida's model of Medicaid nursing home (NH) reimbursement to compensate NHs for disaster-related expenses incurred as a result of 8 hurricanes within a 2-year period. This Florida model can serve as a demonstration for a national model for disaster-related reimbursement. Florida reimburses NHs for approved disaster-related costs through hurricane interim rate requests (IRRs). The state developed its unique Medicaid per diem rate temporary add-on by adapting its standard rate-setting reimbursement methodology. To understand the payment mechanisms and the costs that facilities incurred as a result of natural disasters, we examined the IRRs and cost reports for facilities requesting and receiving reimbursement. Cost reports and IRR applications indicated that Florida Medicaid spent close to $16 million to pay for hurricane-related costs to NHs. Without Florida's Hurricane IRR program, many facilities would have not been reimbursed for their hurricane-related costs. Florida's model is one that Medicare and other states should consider adopting to ensure that NHs receive adequate reimbursement for disaster-related expenses, including tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, blizzards, and other catastrophic events.

Environmental Assessment for the Operation and Launch of the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 Space Vehicles at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Florida

Science.gov (United States)

2007-11-01

Florida, the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, or the Pacific Ocean near the Marshall Islands . Dragon Capsule Re-entry and Recovery The...California and a third location is in the equatorial Pacific near the Marshall Islands . The capsule would be directed along a pre-planned trajectory to...Water Separator PAE Potentially Adverse Effect PAFB Patrick Air Force Base PAH Poly-nuclear aromatic hydrocarbons Pb lead PCB Poly

75 FR 15603 - Common Crop Insurance Regulations; Florida Avocado Crop Insurance Provisions

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-30

... to: (1) Theft; or (2) Inability to market the avocados for any reason other than actual physical... Crop Insurance Regulations; Florida Avocado Crop Insurance Provisions AGENCY: Federal Crop Insurance... Common Crop Insurance Regulations; Florida Avocado Crop Insurance Provisions to convert the Florida...

Multibeam Mapping of the West Florida Shelf-The Edges, Gulf of Mexico, Appalachicola, Florida.

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — XYZ ASCII format high-resolution bathymetry data generated from the 2010 multibeam sonar survey of the West Florida Shelf-The Edges, Gulf of Mexico, Appalachicola,...

The Cost of Employment Discrimination against Transgender Residents of Florida

OpenAIRE

Brown, Taylor NT; Herman, Jody L

2015-01-01

The State of Florida spends more than a half million dollars each year as the result of employment discrimination against transgender residents. Currently, 10 counties and 14 cities in Florida have ordinances prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity in public and private sector employment, but nearly 22,000 transgender adult residents are not covered by these laws. Employment discrimination against transgender adults in Florida costs the state an estimated $570,000 annually in stat...

An Analysis of Total Lightning Flash Rates Over Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzetti, Thomas O.; Fuelberg, Henry E.

2017-12-01

Although Florida is known as the "Sunshine State", it also contains the greatest lightning flash densities in the United States. Flash density has received considerable attention in the literature, but lightning flash rate has received much less attention. We use data from the Earth Networks Total Lightning Network (ENTLN) to produce a 5 year (2010-2014) set of statistics regarding total flash rates over Florida and adjacent regions. Instead of tracking individual storms, we superimpose a 0.2° × 0.2° grid over the study region and count both cloud-to-ground (CG) and in-cloud (IC) flashes over 5 min intervals. Results show that the distribution of total flash rates is highly skewed toward small values, whereas the greatest rate is 185 flashes min-1. Greatest average annual flash rates ( 3 flashes min-1) are located near Orlando. The southernmost peninsula, North Florida, and the Florida Panhandle exhibit smaller average annual flash rates ( 1.5 flashes min-1). Large flash rates > 100 flashes min-1 can occur during any season, at any time during the 24 h period, and at any location within the domain. However, they are most likely during the afternoon and early evening in East Central Florida during the spring and summer months.

Biodiversity in a Florida Sandhill Ecosystem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samantha Robertson

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This project compares two transects of land in the University of South Florida's Botanical Gardens for their biodiversity. The transects were chosen to represent a Florida sandhill ecosystem and the individual Longleaf Pine, Saw Palmetto, Turkey Oak, Laurel Oak and Live Oak specimens were counted. All other species above waist height were counted as "other"?. Once the individuals were counted, the Simpson's and Shannon-Wiener indices were calculated. Since the Shannon-Wiener index incorporates several diversity characteristics, it is typically more reliable than Simpson's. However, both biodiversity indices agreed that transect B was more diverse than transect A.

Tsunamis caused by submarine slope failures along western Great Bahama Bank.

Science.gov (United States)

Schnyder, Jara S D; Eberli, Gregor P; Kirby, James T; Shi, Fengyan; Tehranirad, Babak; Mulder, Thierry; Ducassou, Emmanuelle; Hebbeln, Dierk; Wintersteller, Paul

2016-11-04

Submarine slope failures are a likely cause for tsunami generation along the East Coast of the United States. Among potential source areas for such tsunamis are submarine landslides and margin collapses of Bahamian platforms. Numerical models of past events, which have been identified using high-resolution multibeam bathymetric data, reveal possible tsunami impact on Bimini, the Florida Keys, and northern Cuba. Tsunamis caused by slope failures with terminal landslide velocity of 20 ms -1 will either dissipate while traveling through the Straits of Florida, or generate a maximum wave of 1.5 m at the Florida coast. Modeling a worst-case scenario with a calculated terminal landslide velocity generates a wave of 4.5 m height. The modeled margin collapse in southwestern Great Bahama Bank potentially has a high impact on northern Cuba, with wave heights between 3.3 to 9.5 m depending on the collapse velocity. The short distance and travel time from the source areas to densely populated coastal areas would make the Florida Keys and Miami vulnerable to such low-probability but high-impact events.

Competency-Based Materials for the Florida Automotive Mechanics Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Goodson, Ludy; And Others

1978-01-01

Describes Florida's new automotive mechanics curriculum, an individualized, self-paced learning sequence that combines text material, review exercises and actual work activities. Development of the materials, including incorporation of Florida's V-TECS catalog of performance objectives in auto mechanics, is described. A field-test experience of a…

Financial Management: Cash Management Practices in Florida Community Colleges.

Science.gov (United States)

Spiwak, Rand S.

A study was conducted to identify those variables appearing to affect cash management practices in Florida community colleges, and recommend prescriptive measures concerning these practices. The study methodology included informal discussions with the chief fiscal officers of each Florida community college and appropriate state board staff,…

78 FR 29292 - Partial Approval and Partial Disapproval of Air Quality State Implementation Plans; Arizona...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-20

... Smelter, American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) Hayden Smelter, Catalyst Paper, and Arizona... Smelter, ASARCO Hayden Smelter, Catalyst Paper, and AEPCO Apache Generating Station. In summary, we propose to approve a revised set of BART-eligible units for the Miami and Hayden smelters; the State's...

Low Oxygen Modulates Multiple Signaling Pathways, Increasing Self-Renewal, While Decreasing Differentiation, Senescence, and Apoptosis in Stromal MIAMI Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Rios, Carmen; D'Ippolito, Gianluca; Curtis, Kevin M.; Delcroix, Gaëtan J.-R.; Gomez, Lourdes A.; El Hokayem, Jimmy; Rieger, Megan; Parrondo, Ricardo; de las Pozas, Alicia; Perez-Stable, Carlos; Howard, Guy A.

2016-01-01

Human bone marrow multipotent mesenchymal stromal cell (hMSC) number decreases with aging. Subpopulations of hMSCs can differentiate into cells found in bone, vasculature, cartilage, gut, and other tissues and participate in their repair. Maintaining throughout adult life such cell subpopulations should help prevent or delay the onset of age-related degenerative conditions. Low oxygen tension, the physiological environment in progenitor cell-rich regions of the bone marrow microarchitecture, stimulates the self-renewal of marrow-isolated adult multilineage inducible (MIAMI) cells and expression of Sox2, Nanog, Oct4a nuclear accumulation, Notch intracellular domain, notch target genes, neuronal transcriptional repressor element 1 (RE1)-silencing transcription factor (REST), and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α), and additionally, by decreasing the expression of (i) the proapoptotic proteins, apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and Bak, and (ii) senescence-associated p53 expression and β-galactosidase activity. Furthermore, low oxygen increases canonical Wnt pathway signaling coreceptor Lrp5 expression, and PI3K/Akt pathway activation. Lrp5 inhibition decreases self-renewal marker Sox2 mRNA, Oct4a nuclear accumulation, and cell numbers. Wortmannin-mediated PI3K/Akt pathway inhibition leads to increased osteoblastic differentiation at both low and high oxygen tension. We demonstrate that low oxygen stimulates a complex signaling network involving PI3K/Akt, Notch, and canonical Wnt pathways, which mediate the observed increase in nuclear Oct4a and REST, with simultaneous decrease in p53, AIF, and Bak. Collectively, these pathway activations contribute to increased self-renewal with concomitant decreased differentiation, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and/or senescence in MIAMI cells. Importantly, the PI3K/Akt pathway plays a central mechanistic role in the oxygen tension-regulated self-renewal versus osteoblastic differentiation of progenitor cells. PMID:27059084

Impacts of dialysis transportation on Florida's coordinated public transportation programs.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-04-01

The National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) at the University of South Florida (USF) collected quantitative and qualitative data from Community Transportation Coordinators (CTCs) throughout Florida. An online survey and a series of personal inter...

Factors That Influence the Transmission of West Nile Virus in Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Day, Jonathan F; Tabachnick, Walter J; Smartt, Chelsea T

2015-09-01

West Nile virus (WNV) was first detected in North America in New York City during the late summer of 1999 and was first detected in Florida in 2001. Although WNV has been responsible for widespread and extensive epidemics in human populations and epizootics in domestic animals and wildlife throughout North America, comparable epidemics have never materialized in Florida. Here, we review some of the reasons why WNV has yet to cause an extensive outbreak in Florida. The primary vector of mosquito-borne encephalitis virus in Florida is Culex nigripalpus Theobald. Rainfall, drought, and temperature are the primary factors that regulate annual populations of this species. Cx. nigripalpus is a competent vector of WNV, St. Louis encephalitis virus, and eastern equine encephalitis virus in Florida, and populations of this species can support focal amplification and transmission of these arboviruses. We propose that a combination of environmental factors influencing Cx. nigripalpus oviposition, blood-feeding behavior, and vector competence have limited WNV transmission in Florida to relatively small focal outbreaks and kept the state free of a major epidemic. Florida must remain vigilant to the danger from WNV, because a change in these environmental factors could easily result in a substantial WNV epidemic rivaling those seen elsewhere in the United States. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Estimated discharge of treated wastewater in Florida, 1990

Science.gov (United States)

Marella, R.L.

1994-01-01

According to the Florida Department of Environ- mental Protection, 5,100 wastewater treatment systems were in operation during 1990. Of this total, 72 percent were domestic wastewater facilities and 28 percent were industrial waste- water facilities. The number of wastewater systems inventoried for 1990 was 1,062 (systems that treated and discharged more than 0.01 Mgal/d or had a plant capacity of greater than 0.04 Mgal/d. Based on this inventory, the estimated discharge of treated wastewater in Florida during 1990 totaled 1,638 million gallons per day. Approxi- mately 65 percent of this water was discharged to surface water during 1990 and the remaining 35 percent was discharged to ground water. Discharge to surface water includes effluent outfalls into the Atlantic Ocean (32 percent), while the re- maining (68 percent) is discharged into the Gulf of Mexico, bays, rivers, wetlands, and other surface water bodies throughout Florida. Discharge to ground-water includes treated effluent outfalls to land application systems (reuse systems and spray fields), drain fields, percolation ponds (51 percent), and to injection wells (49 percent). An estimated 322 million gallons per day of the treated domestic and industrial wastewater was reused during 1990. Discharge of treated domestic wastewater from the 994 systems inventoried in Florida during 1990 totaled 1,353 million gallons per day and served an estimated 8.58 million people (66 percent of the population of Florida in 1990). The remaining 34 percent of the popu- lation (4.36 million) are served by the 2,700 smaller domestic wastewater systems or have individual septic tanks. In 1990, there were 1.56 million septic tanks in Florida. Discharge of industrial wastewater was inventoried for 68 systems in 1990 and totaled 285 million gallons per day. Discharge of domestic wastewater in- creased more than 20 percent and industrial wastewater discharge increased 5 percent from 1985 to 1990. (USGS)

2005 Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) Lidar: Manatee District

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) LAS dataset is a survey of select areas within Southwest Florida. These data were produced for the Southwest Florida Water...

Evacuating People and Their Pets: Older Floridians' Need for and Proximity to Pet-Friendly Shelters.

Science.gov (United States)

Douglas, Rachel; Kocatepe, Ayberk; Barrett, Anne E; Ozguven, Eren Erman; Gumber, Clayton

2017-10-04

Pets influence evacuation decisions, but little is known about pet-friendly emergency shelters' availability or older adults' need for them. Our study addresses this issue, focusing on the most densely populated area of Florida (Miami-Dade)-the state with the oldest population and greatest hurricane susceptibility. We use Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based methodology to identify the shortest paths to pet-friendly shelters, based on distance and congested and uncongested travel times-taking into account the older population's spatial distribution. Logistic regression models using the 2013 American Housing Survey's Disaster Planning Module examine anticipated shelter use as a function of pet ownership and requiring pet evacuation assistance. Thirty-four percent of older adults in the Miami-Dade area have pets-35% of whom report needing pet evacuation assistance. However, GIS accessibility measures show that travel time factors are likely to impede older adults' use of the area's few pet-friendly shelters. Logistic regression results reveal that pet owners are less likely to report anticipating shelter use; however, the opposite holds for pet owners reporting they would need help evacuating their pets-they anticipate using shelters. High pet shelter need coupled with low availability exacerbates older adults' heightened vulnerability during Florida's hurricane season. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Assessing the Association Between Asthma and Air Quality in the Presence of Wildfires

Science.gov (United States)

Young, L. J.; Al-Hamdan, M. Z.; Lopiano, K. K.; Crosson, W. L.; Gotway, C. A.; DuClos, C.; Jordan, M.; Estes, M. G.; Luvall, J. C.; Estes, S. M.; Xu, X.; Holt, N. M.; Leary, E.

2012-12-01

Asthma hospital/emergency room (patient) data are used as the foundation for creating a health outcome indicator of human response to environmental air quality. Daily U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Air Quality System (AQS) fine particulates (PM2.5) ground data and the U.S. National Aeronautical Space Administration (NASA) MODIS aerosol optical depth (AOD) data were acquired and processed for years of 2007 and 2008. Figure 1 shows the PM2.5 annual mean composite of all the 2007 B-spline daily surfaces. Initial models for predicting the number of weekly asthma cases within a Florida county has focused on environmental variables. Weekly maximums of PM2.5, relative humidity, and the proportions of the county with smoke and fire were the environmental variables included in the model. Cosine and sine functions of time were used to account for seasonality in asthma cases. Counties were considered to be random effects, thereby adjusting for differences in socio-demographics and other factors. The 2007 predictions for Miami-Dade county when using B-splines PM2.5 are displayed in Figures 2.; PM2.5 annual mean composite of all the 2007 daily surfaces developed using Al-Hamdan et al (2009) B-spline fitting algorithm ; Predicted and observed weekly asthma cases presenting to hospitals or emergency rooms in Miami-Dade county in Florida during 2007

Genetic introgression and the survival of Florida panther kittens

Science.gov (United States)

Hostetler, Jeffrey A.; Onorato, David P.; Nichols, James D.; Johnson, Warren E.; Roelke, Melody E.; O'Brien, Stephen J.; Jansen, Deborah; Oli, Madan K.

2010-01-01

Estimates of survival for the young of a species are critical for population models. These models can often be improved by determining the effects of management actions and population abundance on this demographic parameter. We used multiple sources of data collected during 1982–2008 and a live-recapture dead-recovery modeling framework to estimate and model survival of Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) kittens (age 0–1 year). Overall, annual survival of Florida panther kittens was 0.323 ± 0.071 (SE), which was lower than estimates used in previous population models. In 1995, female pumas from Texas (P. c. stanleyana) were released into occupied panther range as part of an intentional introgression program to restore genetic variability. We found that kitten survival generally increased with degree of admixture: F1 admixed and backcrossed to Texas kittens survived better than canonical Florida panther and backcrossed to canonical kittens. Average heterozygosity positively influenced kitten and older panther survival, whereas index of panther abundance negatively influenced kitten survival. Our results provide strong evidence for the positive population-level impact of genetic introgression on Florida panthers. Our approach to integrate data from multiple sources was effective at improving robustness as well as precision of estimates of Florida panther kitten survival, and can be useful in estimating vital rates for other elusive species with sparse data.

Possible return of Acropora cervicornis at Pulaski Shoal, Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Lidz, Barbara H.; Zawada, David G.

2013-01-01

Seabed classification is essential to assessing environmental associations and physical status in coral reef ecosystems. At Pulaski Shoal in Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, nearly continuous underwater-image coverage was acquired in 15.5 hours in 2009 along 70.2 km of transect lines spanning ~0.2 km2. The Along-Track Reef-Imaging System (ATRIS), a boat-based, high-speed, digital imaging system, was used. ATRIS-derived benthic classes were merged with a QuickBird satellite image to create a habitat map that defines areas of senile coral reef, carbonate sand, seagrasses, and coral rubble. This atypical approach of starting with extensive, high-resolution in situ imagery and extrapolating between transect lines using satellite imagery leverages the strengths of each remote-sensing modality. The ATRIS images also captured the spatial distribution of two species once common on now-degraded Florida-Caribbean coral reefs: the stony staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis, a designated threatened species, and the long-spined urchin Diadema antillarum. This article documents the utility of ATRIS imagery for quantifying number and estimating age of A. cervicornis colonies (n = 400, age range, 5–11 y) since the severe hypothermic die-off in the Dry Tortugas in 1976–77. This study is also the first to document the largest number of new colonies of A. cervicornis tabulated in an area of the park where coral-monitoring stations maintained by the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute have not been established. The elevated numbers provide an updated baseline for tracking revival of this species at Pulaski Shoal.

Near Surface Geophysical Investigations of Potential Direct Recharge Zones in the Biscayne Aquifer within Everglades National Park, Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Mount, G.; Comas, X.

2017-12-01

The karstic Miami Limestone of the Biscayne aquifer is characterized as having water flow that is controlled by the presence of dissolution enhanced porosity and mega-porous features. The dissolution features and other high porosity areas create horizontal preferential flow paths and high rates of ground water velocity, which may not be accurately conceptualized in groundwater flow models. In addition, recent research suggests the presence of numerous vertical dissolution features across Everglades National Park at Long Pine Key Trail, that may act as areas of direct recharge to the aquifer. These vertical features have been identified through ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys as areas of velocity pull-down which have been modeled to have porosity values higher than the surrounding Miami Limestone. As climate change may induce larger and longer temporal variability between wet and dry times in the Everglades, a more comprehensive understanding of preferential flow pathways from the surface to the aquifer would be a great benefit to modelers and planners. This research utilizes near surface geophysical techniques, such as GPR, to identify these vertical dissolution features and then estimate the spatial variability of porosity using petrophysical models. GPR transects that were collected for several kilometers along the Long Pine Key Trail, show numerous pull down areas that correspond to dissolution enhanced porosity zones within the Miami Limestone. Additional 3D GPR surveys have attempted to delineate the boundaries of these features to elucidate their geometry for future modelling studies. We demonstrate the ability of near surface geophysics and petrophysical models to identify dissolution enhanced porosity in shallow karstic limestones to better understand areas that may act as zones of direct recharge into the Biscayne Aquifer.

Mapping of Florida's Coastal and Marine Resources: Setting Priorities Workshop

Science.gov (United States)

Robbins, Lisa; Wolfe, Steven; Raabe, Ellen

2008-01-01

The importance of mapping habitats and bioregions as a means to improve resource management has become increasingly clear. Large areas of the waters surrounding Florida are unmapped or incompletely mapped, possibly hindering proper management and good decisionmaking. Mapping of these ecosystems is among the top priorities identified by the Florida Oceans and Coastal Council in their Annual Science Research Plan. However, lack of prioritization among the coastal and marine areas and lack of coordination of agency efforts impede efficient, cost-effective mapping. A workshop on Mapping of Florida's Coastal and Marine Resources was sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), and Southeastern Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability (SERPPAS). The workshop was held at the USGS Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC) in St. Petersburg, FL, on February 7-8, 2007. The workshop was designed to provide State, Federal, university, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) the opportunity to discuss their existing data coverage and create a prioritization of areas for new mapping data in Florida. Specific goals of the workshop were multifold, including to: * provide information to agencies on state-of-the-art technology for collecting data; * inform participants of the ongoing mapping programs in waters off Florida; * present the mapping needs and priorities of the State and Federal agencies and entities operating in Florida; * work with State of Florida agencies to establish an overall priority for areas needing mapping; * initiate discussion of a unified classification of habitat and bioregions; * discuss and examine the need to standardize terminology and data collection/storage so that data, in particular habitat data, can be shared; 9 identify opportunities for partnering and leveraging mapping efforts among agencies and entities; * identify impediments and organizational gaps that hinder collection

The occurrence of the rat lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, in nonindigenous snails in the Gulf of Mexico region of the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Teem, John L.; Qvarnstrom, Yvonne; Bishop, Henry S.; da Silva, Alexandre J.; Carter, Jacoby; White-McLean, Jodi; Smith, Trevor

2013-01-01

Nonindigenous apple snails, Pomacea maculata (formerly Pomacea insularum), are currently spreading rapidly through the southeastern United States. This mollusk serves as an intermediate host of the rat lungworm parasite (Angiostrongylus cantonensis), which can cause eosinophilic meningitis in humans who consume infected mollusks. A PCR-based detection assay was used to test nonindigenous apple snails for the rat lungworm parasite in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Florida. Only apple snails obtained from the New Orleans, Louisiana, area tested positive for the parasite. These results provide the first evidence that Angiostrongylus cantonensis does occur in nonindigenous apple snails in the southeastern United States. Additionally, Angiostrongylus cantonensis was identified in the terrestrial species Achatina fulica in Miami, Florida, indicating that rat lungworm is now established in Florida as well as Louisiana. Although the study suggests that the rat lungworm is not widespread in the Gulf States region, the infected snail population could still pose a risk to human health and facilitate the spread of the parasite to new areas.

Pol?tica migratoria y condiciones laborales: un estudio de caso comparado acerca de los colombianos en situaci?n irregular en las ciudades de Atlanta y Miami

OpenAIRE

Parra Mora, Laura Camila

2016-01-01

Este trabajo tiene por objetivo determinar la incidencia de las pol?ticas migratorias de las administraciones Bush y Obama en las condiciones laborales de los colombianos indocumentados en las ciudades de Atlanta y Miami. La hip?tesis planteada afirma que la transici?n que ha tenido la pol?tica migratoria estadounidense, ha deteriorado las condiciones laborales de los colombianos indocumentados. El art?culo se divide en cuatro apartados. Primeramente, define los aspectos conceptuales a tener ...

Spatial epidemiology of eastern equine encephalitis in Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Vander Kelen, Patrick T; Downs, Joni A; Stark, Lillian M; Loraamm, Rebecca W; Anderson, James H; Unnasch, Thomas R

2012-11-05

Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV) is an alphavirus with high pathogenicity in both humans and horses. Florida continues to have the highest occurrence of human cases in the USA, with four fatalities recorded in 2010. Unlike other states, Florida supports year-round EEEV transmission. This research uses GIS to examine spatial patterns of documented horse cases during 2005-2010 in order to understand the relationships between habitat and transmission intensity of EEEV in Florida. Cumulative incidence rates of EEE in horses were calculated for each county. Two cluster analyses were performed using density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN). The first analysis was based on regional clustering while the second focused on local clustering. Ecological associations of EEEV were examined using compositional analysis and Euclidean distance analysis to determine if the proportion or proximity of certain habitats played a role in transmission. The DBSCAN algorithm identified five distinct regional spatial clusters that contained 360 of the 438 horse cases. The local clustering resulted in 18 separate clusters containing 105 of the 438 cases. Both the compositional analysis and Euclidean distance analysis indicated that the top five habitats positively associated with horse cases were rural residential areas, crop and pastureland, upland hardwood forests, vegetated non-forested wetlands, and tree plantations. This study demonstrates that in Florida tree plantations are a focus for epizootic transmission of EEEV. It appears both the abundance and proximity of tree plantations are factors associated with increased risk of EEE in horses and therefore humans. This association helps to explain why there is are spatially distinct differences in the amount of EEE horse cases across Florida.

Genetic diversity and connectivity in the threatened staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis in Florida.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth M Hemond

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Over the past three decades, populations of the dominant shallow water Caribbean corals, Acropora cervicornis and A. palmata, have been devastated by white-band disease (WBD, resulting in the listing of both species as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. A key to conserving these threatened corals is understanding how their populations are genetically interconnected throughout the greater Caribbean. Genetic research has demonstrated that gene flow is regionally restricted across the Caribbean in both species. Yet, despite being an important site of coral reef research, little genetic data has been available for the Florida Acropora, especially for the staghorn coral, A. cervicornis. In this study, we present new mitochondrial DNA sequence data from 52 A. cervicornis individuals from 22 sites spread across the upper and lower Florida Keys, which suggest that Florida's A. cervicornis populations are highly genetically interconnected (F(ST = -0.081. Comparison between Florida and existing mtDNA data from six regional Caribbean populations indicates that Florida possesses high levels of standing genetic diversity (h = 0.824 relative to the rest of the greater Caribbean (h = 0.701+/-0.043. We find that the contemporary level of gene flow across the greater Caribbean, including Florida, is restricted (Phi(CT = 0.117, but evidence from shared haplotypes suggests the Western Caribbean has historically been a source of genetic variation for Florida. Despite the current patchiness of A. cervicornis in Florida, the relatively high genetic diversity and connectivity within Florida suggest that this population may have sufficient genetic variation to be viable and resilient to environmental perturbation and disease. Limited genetic exchange across regional populations of the greater Caribbean, including Florida, indicates that conservation efforts for A. cervicornis should focus on maintaining and managing populations locally rather than

Genetic diversity and connectivity in the threatened staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) in Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Hemond, Elizabeth M; Vollmer, Steven V

2010-01-11

Over the past three decades, populations of the dominant shallow water Caribbean corals, Acropora cervicornis and A. palmata, have been devastated by white-band disease (WBD), resulting in the listing of both species as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. A key to conserving these threatened corals is understanding how their populations are genetically interconnected throughout the greater Caribbean. Genetic research has demonstrated that gene flow is regionally restricted across the Caribbean in both species. Yet, despite being an important site of coral reef research, little genetic data has been available for the Florida Acropora, especially for the staghorn coral, A. cervicornis. In this study, we present new mitochondrial DNA sequence data from 52 A. cervicornis individuals from 22 sites spread across the upper and lower Florida Keys, which suggest that Florida's A. cervicornis populations are highly genetically interconnected (F(ST) = -0.081). Comparison between Florida and existing mtDNA data from six regional Caribbean populations indicates that Florida possesses high levels of standing genetic diversity (h = 0.824) relative to the rest of the greater Caribbean (h = 0.701+/-0.043). We find that the contemporary level of gene flow across the greater Caribbean, including Florida, is restricted (Phi(CT) = 0.117), but evidence from shared haplotypes suggests the Western Caribbean has historically been a source of genetic variation for Florida. Despite the current patchiness of A. cervicornis in Florida, the relatively high genetic diversity and connectivity within Florida suggest that this population may have sufficient genetic variation to be viable and resilient to environmental perturbation and disease. Limited genetic exchange across regional populations of the greater Caribbean, including Florida, indicates that conservation efforts for A. cervicornis should focus on maintaining and managing populations locally rather than relying on larval

Field validation of the contaminant transport model, FEMA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, K.-F.V.

1986-01-01

The work describes the validation with field data of a finite element model of material transport through aquifers (FEMA). Field data from the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant, Idaho, USA and from the 58th Street landfill in Miami, Florida, USA are used. In both cases the model was first calibrated and then integrated over a span of eight years to check on the predictive capability of the model. Both predictive runs gave results that matched well with available data. (author)

Origin of invasive Florida frogs traced to Cuba

Science.gov (United States)

Heinicke, Matthew P.; Diaz, Luis M.; Hedges, S. Blair

2011-01-01

Two of the earliest examples of successful invasive amphibians are the greenhouse frog (Eleutherodactylus planirostris) and the Cuban treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) in Florida. Although both are generally assumed to be recent introductions, they are widespread on Caribbean islands and also have been proposed as natural colonizers. We obtained nucleotide sequence data for both species and their closest relatives in their native and introduced ranges. Phylogenetic analyses trace the origin of E. planirostris to a small area in western Cuba, while O. septentrionalis is derived from at least two Cuban sources, one probably a remote peninsula in western Cuba. The tropical-to-temperate invasion began with colonization of the Florida Keys followed by human-mediated dispersal within peninsular Florida. The subtropical Keys may have served as an adaptive stepping stone for the successful invasion of the North American continent. PMID:21270024

Florida State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive-waste management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1981-06-01

The Florida State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Florida. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Florida. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Florida.

Florida State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-06-01

The Florida State Briefing Book is one of a series of State briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist State and Federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Florida. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Florida. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Florida

Florida State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive-waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-06-01

The Florida State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Florida. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Florida. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Florida

Conservation: saving Florida's manatees

Science.gov (United States)

Bonde, Robert K.

2008-01-01

Robert K. Bonde of the U.S. Geological Survey writes about the protected population of manatees in Crystal River, Florida, including information about the threats they face as they migrate in and out of protected waters. Photographer Carol Grant shares images of "Angel," a newborn manatee she photographed early one winter morning.

Water Withdrawals, Use, and Trends in Florida, 2005

Science.gov (United States)

Marella, Richard L.

2009-01-01

In 2005, the total amount of water withdrawals in Florida was estimated at 18,359 million gallons per day (Mgal/d). Saline water accounted for 11,486 Mgal/d (63 percent), and freshwater accounted for 6,873 Mgal/d (37 percent). Groundwater accounted for 4,247 Mgal/d (62 percent) of freshwater withdrawals, and surface water accounted for the remaining 2,626 Mgal/d (38 percent). Surface water accounted for nearly all (99.9 percent) saline-water withdrawals. An additional 660 Mgal/d of reclaimed wastewater was used in Florida during 2005. The largest amount of freshwater was withdrawn from Palm Beach County, and the largest amount of saline water was withdrawn from Pasco County. Fresh groundwater provided drinking water (public supplied and self-supplied) for 16.19 million people (90 percent of Florida's population), and fresh surface water provided drinking water for 1.73 million people (10 percent). The majority of groundwater withdrawals (nearly 60 percent) in 2005 was obtained from the Floridan aquifer system which is present throughout the entire State. The majority of fresh surface-water withdrawals (59 percent) came from the southern Florida hydrologic unit subregion and is associated with Lake Okeechobee and the canals in the Everglades Agricultural Area of Glades, Hendry, and Palm Beach Counties, as well as the Caloosahatchee River and its tributaries in the agricultural areas of Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee Counties. Overall, agricultural irrigation accounted for 40 percent of the total freshwater withdrawals (ground and surface), followed by public supply with 37 percent. Public supply accounted for 52 percent of groundwater withdrawals, followed by agricultural self-supplied (31 percent), ommercial-industrial-mining self-supplied (8.5 percent), recreational irrigation and domestic self-supplied (4 percent each), and power generation (0.5 percent). Agricultural self-supplied accounted for 56 percent of fresh surface-water withdrawals, followed by power

Residential Energy Efficiency Potential: Florida

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilson, Eric J [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-11-16

Energy used by Florida single-family homes that can be saved through cost-effective improvements. Prepared by Eric Wilson and Noel Merket, NREL, and Erin Boyd, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis.

Diversity And Abundance Of Deep-Water Coral Mounds In The Straits Of Florida: A Result of Adaptability To Local Environments?

Science.gov (United States)

Correa, T. B.; Grasmueck, M.; Eberli, G.; Viggiano, D. A.; Rosenberg, A.; Reed, J. K.

2007-12-01

To improve the understanding of the Florida-Bahamas deep-water coral mound ecosystem, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) surveys were conducted on five coral mound fields throughout the Straits of Florida (three sites at the base of slope of Great Bahama Bank (GBB), one in the middle of the Straits (MS) and one at the base of the Miami Terrace (MT)) in water depths of 590 to 860 m. The AUV provides high-resolution bathymetric maps, sub-bottom profiles and oceanographic data. The AUV survey sites were subsequently groundtruthed via sample collection and video transects, using the Johnson Sealink submersible. Contrary to previous surveys, we found a high diversity in coral mound morphology between sites separated by 15 to 80 km. The MT site is characterized by sinusoidal coral mound ridges, while the MS site contains densely clustered small coral mounds. Meanwhile, mounds of the GBB region are better developed, with some individual mounds reaching up to 90 m in height. Benthic coverage of live corals also differs between sites; the GBB sites are characterized by mounds densely covered by large thickets of live corals, while small thickets of mostly dead corals dominate the MT and MS sites. Several environmental factors may explain these differences. For example, bottom current patterns change between sites. The MT and the MS sites have a unidirectional regime (southward or northward flow, respectively), whereas the GBB sites have a tidal current regime. Sedimentation patterns as depicted by sub-bottom profiles also vary between the sites; coral mounds in the GBB area appear to receive higher sediment input, which can significantly enhance mound growth rates as the reef framework baffles and traps mobile sediments. However, coral mounds that cannot keep-up with the sedimentation rate are buried. Therefore, in the high sedimentation areas of GBB, flourishing live coral mounds are limited to elevated positions (i.e. plateaus, ridges crests) where sediment accumulation

Production development and utilization of Zimmer Station wet FGD by-products. Final report. Volume 1, Executive summary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, Kevin [Dravo Technology Center, Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Beeghly, Joel H. [Dravo Technology Center, Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

2000-11-30

About 30 electric utility units with a combined total of 15,000 MW utilize magnesium enhanced lime flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems. A disadvantage of this and other inhibited or natural oxidation wet FGD systems is the capital and operating cost associated with landfill disposal of the calcium sulfite based solids. Fixation to stabilize the solids for compaction in a landfill also consumes fly ash that otherwise may be marketable. This Executive Summary describes efforts to dewater the magnesium hydroxide and gypsum slurries and then process the solids into a more user friendly and higher value form. To eliminate the cost of solids disposal in its first generation Thiosorbic® system, the Dravo Lime Company developed the ThioClear® process that utilizes a magnesium based absorber liquor to remove S0₂ with minimal suspended solids. Magnesium enhanced lime is added to an oxidized bleed stream of thickener overflow (TOF) to produce magnesium hydroxide [Mg(OH)₂] and gypsum (CaS0₄ • 2H₂0), as by-products. This process was demonstrated at the 3 to 5 MW closed loop FGD system pilot plant at the Miami Fort Station of Cinergy, near Cincinnati, Ohio with the help of OCDO Grant Agreement CDO/D-91-6. A similar process strictly for'recovery and reuse of Mg(OH)₂ began operation at the Zimmer Station of Cinergy in late 1994 that can produce 900 pounds of Mg(OH)₂ per hour and 2,600 pounds of gypsum per hour. This by-product plant, called the Zimmer Slipstream Magnesium Hydroxide Recovery Project Demonstration, was conducted with the help of OCDO Grant Agreement CDO/D-921-004. Full scale ThioClear® plants began operating in 1997 at the 130 MW Applied Energy Services plant, in Monaca, PA, and in year 2000 at the 1,330 MW Allegheny Energy Pleasants Station at St. Marys, WV.

Santa Rosa Island Final Range Environmental Assessment, Revision 1. Eglin Air Force Base, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-01

west coast; 3) Dry Tortugas , Florida, Subpopulation; 4) Florida Panhandle Subpopulation occurring at Eglin AFB and the beaches near Panama City; and... Tortugas , florida, Subpopulation, (4) Northwest florida Subpopulation occurring at Eglin Ai r Force Base and the beaches near Panama City; and (5...annually from 1995 and 2005 (FWC/FWRI sea turtle nesting database and unpublished data). A nearly complete census of the Dry Tortugas Subpopulation

Predictors of Sunburn Risk Among Florida Residents.

Science.gov (United States)

Arutyunyan, Sergey; Alfonso, Sarah V; Hernandez, Nilda; Favreau, Tracy; Fernández, M Isabel

2017-03-01

The incidence of skin cancer, the most common type of cancer in the United States, is increasing. Sunburn is a major modifiable risk factor for skin cancer, and its prevalence among the US population is high. To identify predictors of having had a red or painful sunburn in the past 12 months among people living in Florida. Florida residents were recruited from public places and online. They were asked to complete an anonymous cross-sectional survey that assessed demographic information, dermatologic history, as well as knowledge, attitude, and behavior factors associated with sunburn. A total of 437 participants whose data were complete for all variables were included in the multivariate analysis. In multivariate logistic regression, younger age (18-29 years) was the most significant predictor of sunburn (OR, 15.26; 95% CI, 5.97-38.98; PSunburn prevention programs that osteopathic physicians can readily implement in clinical practice are urgently needed, particularly for young adult patients. This study identified 7 predictors of sunburn in Florida residents. With additional research findings, promoting attitude change toward sun protection may be a viable strategy.

FLORIDA TOWER FOOTPRINT EXPERIMENTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

WATSON,T.B.; DIETZ, R.N.; WILKE, R.; HENDREY, G.; LEWIN, K.; NAGY, J.; LECLERC, M.

2007-01-01

The Florida Footprint experiments were a series of field programs in which perfluorocarbon tracers were released in different configurations centered on a flux tower to generate a data set that can be used to test transport and dispersion models. These models are used to determine the sources of the CO{sub 2} that cause the fluxes measured at eddy covariance towers. Experiments were conducted in a managed slash pine forest, 10 km northeast of Gainesville, Florida, in 2002, 2004, and 2006 and in atmospheric conditions that ranged from well mixed, to very stable, including the transition period between convective conditions at midday to stable conditions after sun set. There were a total of 15 experiments. The characteristics of the PFTs, details of sampling and analysis methods, quality control measures, and analytical statistics including confidence limits are presented. Details of the field programs including tracer release rates, tracer source configurations, and configuration of the samplers are discussed. The result of this experiment is a high quality, well documented tracer and meteorological data set that can be used to improve and validate canopy dispersion models.

Evolutionary and functional mitogenomics associated with the genetic restoration of the Florida panther

Science.gov (United States)

Ochoa, Alexander; Onorato, David P.; Fitak, Robert R.; Roelke-Parker, Melody; Culver, Melanie

2017-01-01

Florida panthers are endangered pumas that currently persist in reduced patches of habitat in South Florida, USA. We performed mitogenome reference-based assemblies for most parental lines of the admixed Florida panthers that resulted from the introduction of female Texas pumas into South Florida in 1995. With the addition of 2 puma mitogenomes, we characterized 174 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across 12 individuals. We defined 5 haplotypes (Pco1–Pco5), one of which (Pco1) had a geographic origin exclusive to Costa Rica and Panama and was possibly introduced into the Everglades National Park, Florida, prior to 1995. Haplotype Pco2 was native to Florida. Haplotypes Pco3 and Pco4 were exclusive to Texas, whereas haplotype Pco5 had an undetermined geographic origin. Phylogenetic inference suggests that haplotypes Pco1–Pco4 diverged ~202000 (95% HPDI = 83000–345000) years ago and that haplotypes Pco2–Pco4 diverged ~61000 (95% HPDI = 9000–127000) years ago. These results are congruent with a south-to-north continental expansion and with a recent North American colonization by pumas. Furthermore, pumas may have migrated from Texas to Florida no earlier than ~44000 (95% HPDI = 2000–98000) years ago. Synonymous mutations presented a greater mean substitution rate than other mitochondrial functional regions: nonsynonymous mutations, tRNAs, rRNAs, and control region. Similarly, all protein-coding genes were under predominant negative selection constraints. We directly and indirectly assessed the presence of potential deleterious SNPs in the ND2 and ND5 genes in Florida panthers prior to and as a consequence of the introduction of Texas pumas. Screenings for such variants are recommended in extant Florida panthers.

Florida's salt-marsh management issues: 1991-98.

Science.gov (United States)

Carlson, D B; O'Bryan, P D; Rey, J R

1999-06-01

During the 1990s, Florida has continued to make important strides in managing salt marshes for both mosquito control and natural resource enhancement. The political mechanism for this progress continues to be interagency cooperation through the Florida Coordinating Council on Mosquito Control and its Subcommittee on Managed Marshes (SOMM). Continuing management experience and research has helped refine the most environmentally acceptable source reduction methods, which typically are Rotational Impoundment Management or Open Marsh Water Management. The development of regional marsh management plans for salt marshes within the Indian River Lagoon by the SOMM has helped direct the implementation of the best management practices for these marshes. Controversy occasionally occurs concerning what management technique is most appropriate for individual marshes. The most common disagreement is over the benefits of maintaining an impoundment in an "open" vs. "closed" condition, with the "closed" condition, allowing for summer mosquito control flooding or winter waterfowl management. New federal initiatives influencing salt-marsh management have included the Indian River Lagoon-National Estuary Program and the Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program. A new Florida initiative is the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Eco-system Management Program with continuing involvement by the Surface Water Improvement and Management program. A developing mitigation banking program has the potential to benefit marsh management but mosquito control interests may suffer if not handled properly. Larvicides remain as an important salt-marsh integrated pest management tool with the greatest acreage being treated with temephos, followed by Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis and methoprene. However, over the past 14 years, use of biorational larvicides has increased greatly.

Spatial epidemiology of eastern equine encephalitis in Florida

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vander Kelen Patrick T

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV is an alphavirus with high pathogenicity in both humans and horses. Florida continues to have the highest occurrence of human cases in the USA, with four fatalities recorded in 2010. Unlike other states, Florida supports year-round EEEV transmission. This research uses GIS to examine spatial patterns of documented horse cases during 2005–2010 in order to understand the relationships between habitat and transmission intensity of EEEV in Florida. Methods Cumulative incidence rates of EEE in horses were calculated for each county. Two cluster analyses were performed using density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN. The first analysis was based on regional clustering while the second focused on local clustering. Ecological associations of EEEV were examined using compositional analysis and Euclidean distance analysis to determine if the proportion or proximity of certain habitats played a role in transmission. Results The DBSCAN algorithm identified five distinct regional spatial clusters that contained 360 of the 438 horse cases. The local clustering resulted in 18 separate clusters containing 105 of the 438 cases. Both the compositional analysis and Euclidean distance analysis indicated that the top five habitats positively associated with horse cases were rural residential areas, crop and pastureland, upland hardwood forests, vegetated non-forested wetlands, and tree plantations. Conclusions This study demonstrates that in Florida tree plantations are a focus for epizootic transmission of EEEV. It appears both the abundance and proximity of tree plantations are factors associated with increased risk of EEE in horses and therefore humans. This association helps to explain why there is are spatially distinct differences in the amount of EEE horse cases across Florida.

Citrus leprosis and its status in Florida and Texas: past and present.

Science.gov (United States)

Childers, C C; Rodrigues, J C V; Derrick, K S; Achor, D S; French, J V; Welbourn, W C; Ochoa, R; Kitajima, E W

2003-01-01

According to published reports from 1906 to 1968, leprosis nearly destroyed the Florida citrus industry prior to 1925. This was supported with photographs showing typical leprosis symptoms on citrus leaves, fruit, and twigs. Support for the past occurrence of citrus leprosis in Florida includes: (1) presence of twig lesions in affected orange blocks in addition to lesions on fruits and leaves and corresponding absence of similar lesions on grapefruit; (2) yield reduction and die-back on infected trees; and (3) spread of the disease between 1906 and 1925. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) examination of tissue samples from leprosis-like injuries to orange and grapefruit leaves from Florida in 1997, and fruits from grapefruit and sweet orange varieties from Texas in 1999 and 2000 did not contain leprosis-like viral particles or viroplasm inclusions. In contrast, leprosis viroplasm inclusions were readily identified by TEM within green non-senescent tissues surrounding leprosis lesions in two of every three orange leaf samples and half of the fruit samples obtained from Piracicaba, Brazil. Symptoms of leprosis were not seen in any of the 24,555 orange trees examined across Florida during 2001 and 2002. The authors conclude that citrus leprosis no longer exists in Florida nor occurs in Texas citrus based on: (1) lack of leprosis symptoms on leaves, fruit, and twigs of sweet orange citrus varieties surveyed in Florida: (2) failure to find virus particles or viroplasm inclusion bodies in suspect samples from both Florida and Texas examined by TEM; (3) absence of documented reports by others on the presence of characteristic leprosis symptoms in Florida; (4) lack of its documented occurrence in dooryard trees or abandoned or minimal pesticide citrus orchard sites in Florida. In view of the serious threat to citrus in the U.S., every effort must be taken to quarantine the importation of both citrus and woody ornamental plants that serve as hosts for Brevipalpus

USGS Field Activities 11CEV01 and 11CEV02 on the West Florida Shelf, Gulf of Mexico, in January and February 2011

Science.gov (United States)

Robbins, Lisa L.; Knorr, Paul O.; Daly, Kendra L.; Taylor, Carl A.

2014-01-01

During January and February 2011 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the University of South Florida (USF), conducted geochemical surveys on the west Florida Shelf. Data collected will allow USGS and USF scientists to investigate the effects of climate change on ocean acidification within the northern Gulf of Mexico, specifically, the effect of ocean acidification on marine organisms and habitats. This work is part of a larger USGS study on Climate and Environmental Variability (CEV). The first cruise was conducted from January 3 – 7 (11CEV01) and the second from February 17 - 27 (11CEV02). To view each cruise's survey lines, please see the Trackline page. Both cruises took place aboard the R/V Weatherbird II, a ship of opportunity led by Dr. Kendra Daly (USF), which departed and returned from Saint Petersburg, Florida. Data collection included sampling of the surface and water column (referred to as station samples) with lab analysis of pH, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and total alkalinity. Augmenting the lab analysis was a continuous flow-through system with a Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) sensor, which also recorded salinity, and pH. Corroborating the USGS data are the vertical CTD profiles collected by USF. The CTD casts measured continuous vertical profiles of oxygen, chlorophyll fluorescence, optical backscatter, and transmissometer. Discrete samples for nutrients, chlorophyll, and particulate organic carbon/nitrogen were also collected during the CTD casts.

A habitat assessment for Florida panther population expansion into central Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Thatcher, C.A.; Van Manen, F.T.; Clark, J.D.

2009-01-01

One of the goals of the Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) recovery plan is to expand panther range north of the Caloosahatchee River in central Florida. Our objective was to evaluate the potential of that region to support panthers. We used a geographic information system and the Mahalanobis distance statistic to develop a habitat model based on landscape characteristics associated with panther home ranges. We used cross-validation and an independent telemetry data set to test the habitat model. We also conducted a least-cost path analysis to identify potential habitat linkages and to provide a relative measure of connectivity among habitat patches. Variables in our model were paved road density, major highways, human population density, percentage of the area permanently or semipermanently flooded, and percentage of the area in natural land cover. Our model clearly identified habitat typical of that found within panther home ranges based on model testing with recent telemetry data. We identified 4 potential translocation sites that may support a total of approximately 36 panthers. Although we identified potential habitat linkages, our least-cost path analyses highlighted the extreme isolation of panther habitat in portions of the study area. Human intervention will likely be required if the goal is to establish female panthers north of the Caloosahatchee in the near term.

California avocados in Florida? Finding the perfect avocado for production in East-Central Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is a high-value fruit where most U.S. consumption is supplied using imported product. Cultivars with good fruit quality and horticultural traits may provide a useful alternative crop in east-central Florida and possibly in other locations throughout the state. A port...

2005 Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) Lidar: Little Manatee District

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) LAS dataset is a survey of select areas within Southwest Florida. These data were produced for the Southwest Florida Water...

Polymorphic microsatellite DNA markers for the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris)

Science.gov (United States)

Pause, K.C.; Nourisson, C.; Clark, A.; Kellogg, M.E.; Bonde, R.K.; McGuire, P.M.

2007-01-01

Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) are marine mammals that inhabit the coastal waters and rivers of the southeastern USA, primarily Florida. Previous studies have shown that Florida manatees have low mitochondrial DNA variability, suggesting that nuclear DNA loci are necessary for discriminatory analyses. Here we report 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci with an average of 4.2 alleles per locus, and average heterozygosity of 50.1%. These loci have been developed for use in population studies, parentage assignment, and individual identification. ?? 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Remote Sensing Applications to Water Quality Management in Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Lehrter, J. C.; Schaeffer, B. A.; Hagy, J.; Spiering, B.; Barnes, B.; Hu, C.; Le, C.; McEachron, L.; Underwood, L. W.; Ellis, C.; Fisher, B.

2013-12-01

Optical datasets from estuarine and coastal systems are increasingly available for remote sensing algorithm development, validation, and application. With validated algorithms, the data streams from satellite sensors can provide unprecedented spatial and temporal data for local and regional coastal water quality management. Our presentation will highlight two recent applications of optical data and remote sensing to water quality decision-making in coastal regions of the state of Florida; (1) informing the development of estuarine and coastal nutrient criteria for the state of Florida and (2) informing the rezoning of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. These efforts involved building up the underlying science to demonstrate the applicability of satellite data as well as an outreach component to educate decision-makers about the use, utility, and uncertainties of remote sensing data products. Scientific developments included testing existing algorithms and generating new algorithms for water clarity and chlorophylla in case II (CDOM or turbidity dominated) estuarine and coastal waters and demonstrating the accuracy of remote sensing data products in comparison to traditional field based measurements. Including members from decision-making organizations on the research team and interacting with decision-makers early and often in the process were key factors for the success of the outreach efforts and the eventual adoption of satellite data into the data records and analyses used in decision-making. Florida coastal water bodies (black boxes) for which remote sensing imagery were applied to derive numeric nutrient criteria and in situ observations (black dots) used to validate imagery. Florida ocean color applied to development of numeric nutrient criteria

Return from space: from the International Space Station to CERN

CERN Multimedia

2012-01-01

On 16 May 2011, the space shuttle Endeavour took off for the last time from Cape Canaveral in Florida with six astronauts on board. Their mission (code-named STS-134) was to install the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), the dark matter and antimatter detector designed at CERN, on the International Space Station. Since then, AMS has been sending data to CERN from space.   On Wednesday 25 July do not miss a rare opportunity to meet the mission’s six astronauts at CERN: Mark E. Kelly, commander (NASA) Greg H. Johnson, pilot (NASA) and the mission’s specialists: Michael Fincke (NASA) Roberto Vittori (ESA and ASI) Andrew J. Feustel (NASA) Greg Chamitoff (NASA) 4:20 pm: the event will kick off with a photo and autograph session at the Globe of Science and Innovation. 5 pm: lecture given by the astronauts for CERN personnel and summer students in the Main Auditorium. (Seats reserved for the summer students - contact: summer.student.info@cern.ch). ...

The tides and inflows in the mangroves of the Everglades (TIME) interdisciplinary project of the South Florida Ecosystem Program

Science.gov (United States)

Schaffranek, R.W.

2001-01-01

The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) has a prominent role in the Federal Government's comprehensive restoration plan for the south Florida ecosystem encompassing the Everglades-the largest remaining subtropical wilderness in the continental United States. USGS scientists, in collaboration with researchers from the National Park Service (NPS), other governmental agencies, and academia, are providing scientific information to land and resource managers for planning, executing, and evaluating restoration actions. One major thrust of the restoration effort is to restore the natural functioning of the ecosystem to predrainage conditions, an objective that requires knowledge of the hydrologic and hydraulic factors that affect the flow of water. A vast network of interlaced canals, rimmed with levees and fitted with hydraulic control structures, and highways, built on elevated embankments lined by borrow ditches and undercut by culverts, now act to control and direct the flow of water through the shallow low-gradient wetlands. As water flows south from Lake Okeechobee past the city of Miami and through Everglades National Park (ENP), it is diminished by canal diversions, augmented by seasonably variable precipitation, and depleted through evapotranspiration. Along its path, the shallow flowing water, referred to as sheet flow, interacts with surficial aquifers and is subject to the resistance effects of variably dense vegetation and forcing effects of winds. New scientific investigations are providing additional insight into the hydrologic and hydraulic processes governing the flow, and recent data-collection efforts are supplying more comprehensive data describing the flow behavior, both of which are benefiting development of improved numerical models to evaluate and restore the natural functioning of the ecosystem.

President Ilves külas Tampa, Floridas / Jüri Linask

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Linask, Jüri

2008-01-01

President Toomas Hendrik Ilvese esinemisest Lõuna-Florida Tampa ülikoolis (University of South Florida School of Business). Riigipea rääkis Eesti majandustõusust ja tehnoloogilisest arengust, NATO küberkaitsekeskuse asutamisest Tallinnas ning vastas kuulajate küsimustele. Vabariigi President töövisiidil Ameerika Ühendriikides 17.-23.04.2008

Fishery gear interactions from stranded bottlenose dolphins, Florida manatees and sea turtles in Florida, U.S.A.

Science.gov (United States)

Adimey, Nicole M; Hudak, Christine A; Powell, Jessica R; Bassos-Hull, Kim; Foley, Allen; Farmer, Nicholas A; White, Linda; Minch, Karrie

2014-04-15

Documenting the extent of fishery gear interactions is critical to wildlife conservation efforts, especially for reducing entanglements and ingestion. This study summarizes fishery gear interactions involving common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus truncatus), Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) and sea turtles: loggerhead (Caretta caretta), green turtle (Chelonia mydas), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), and olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) stranding in Florida waters during 1997-2009. Fishery gear interactions for all species combined were 75.3% hook and line, 18.2% trap pot gear, 4.8% fishing nets, and 1.7% in multiple gears. Total reported fishery gear cases increased over time for dolphins (pgear interaction hotspots were identified and generalized linear regression modeling was conducted. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Caffeine and Insomnia in People Living With HIV From the Miami Adult Studies on HIV (MASH) Cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramamoorthy, Venkataraghavan; Campa, Adriana; Rubens, Muni; Martinez, Sabrina S; Fleetwood, Christina; Stewart, Tiffanie; Liuzzi, Juan P; George, Florence; Khan, Hafiz; Li, Yinghui; Baum, Marianna K

We explored the relationship between caffeine consumption, insomnia, and HIV disease progression (CD4+ T cell counts and HIV viral loads). Caffeine intake and insomnia levels were measured using the Modified Caffeine Consumption Questionnaire and the Pittsburgh Insomnia Rating Scale (PIRS) in 130 clinically stable participants who were living with HIV, taking antiretroviral therapy, and recruited from the Miami Adult Studies on HIV cohort. Linear regressions showed that caffeine consumption was significantly and adversely associated with distress score, quality-of-life score, and global PIRS score. Linear regression analyses also showed that global PIRS score was significantly associated with lower CD4+ T cell counts and higher HIV viral loads. Caffeine could have precipitated insomnia in susceptible people living with HIV, which could be detrimental to their disease progression states. Copyright © 2017 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Population genetics meets ecological genomics and community ecology in Cornus Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Understanding evolutionary/ecological consequences of alien pests on native forests is important to conservation. Cornus florida L. subsp. florida is an ecologically important understory tree in forests of the eastern United States but faces heavy mortality from dogwood anthracnose. Understanding ge...

Mid- to late-Holocene coastal environmental changes in southwest Florida, USA

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Soelen, E.E. van; Brooks, G.R.; Larson, R.A.; Sinninghe Damsté, J.S.; Reichart, G.-J.

2012-01-01

During the Holocene, Florida experienced major changes in precipitation and runoff. To better understand these processes, shallow marine sediment cores from Charlotte Harbor (southwest Florida) were studied, covering approximately the past 9000 years. Whole core XRF scanning was applied to

Management of Florida Scrub for Threatened and Endangered Species

Science.gov (United States)

1998-12-01

for Florida scrub: 1. The exotic species, cogon grass ( Imperata cylindrica), may become common in degraded scrubs. This is an aggressive, invasive...34Cogongrass, Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.: A good grass gone bad!" Botany Circular No. 28, Florida Dept. Agric. & Consumer Services, Division of Plant...Industry, Gainesville, FL. Colvin, D.L., Gaffney, J., and Shilling, D. G. 1994. "Cogongrass ( Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.) Biology, ecology and

Biscayne Bay Florida Bottlenose Dolphin Studies

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — These data sets include a compilation of small vessel based studies of bottlenose dolphins that reside within Biscayne Bay, Florida, adjacent estuaries and nearshore...

IKONOS Imagery for southern Florida used to map shallow-water seafloor habitats

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This project is a cooperative effort between the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, National Park...

D and D Toolbox Project - Technology Demonstration of Fixatives Applied to Hot Cell Facilities via Remote Sprayer Platforms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lagos, L.; Shoffner, P.; Espinosa, E.; Pena, G.; Kirk, P.; Conley, T.

2009-01-01

The objective of the US Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management's (DOE-EM's) D and D Toolbox Project is to use an integrated systems approach to develop a suite of decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) technologies, a D and D toolbox, that can be readily used across the DOE complex to improve safety, reduce technical risks, and limit uncertainty within D and D operations. Florida International University's Applied Research Center (FIU-ARC) is supporting this initiative by identifying technologies suitable to meet specific facility D and D requirements, assessing the readiness of those technologies for field deployment, and conducting technology demonstrations of selected technologies at FIU-ARC facilities in Miami, Florida. To meet the technology gap challenge for a technology to remotely apply strippable/fixative coatings, FIU-ARC identified and demonstrated of a remote fixative sprayer platform. During this process, FIU-ARC worked closely with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the selection of typical fixatives and in the design of a hot cell mockup facility for demonstrations at FIUARC. For this demonstration and for future demonstrations, FIU-ARC built a hot cell mockup facility at the FIU-ARC Technology Demonstration/Evaluation site in Miami, Florida. FIU-ARC selected the International Climbing Machines' (ICM's) Robotic Climber to perform this technology demonstration. The selected technology was demonstrated at the hot cell mockup facility at FIU-ARC during the week of November 10, 2008. Fixative products typically used inside hot cells were investigated and selected for this remote application. The fixatives tested included Sherwin Williams' Promar 200 and DTM paints and Bartlett's Polymeric Barrier System (PBS). The technology evaluation documented the ability of the remote system to spray fixative products on horizontal and vertical concrete surfaces. The technology performance, cost, and health and safety issues were evaluated

The black cloud over the Sunshine State: health disparities in south Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Dyer, Janyce G

2003-01-01

Florida, the "Sunshine State", is paradise for international tourists and has been adopted as seasonal or permanent home by many wealthy individuals and celebrities. However, Florida is not paradise for the growing number of residents who suffer from poverty, health problems, and a lack of access to health care and social services. The purpose of this paper is to present data on health care problems and disparities throughout the state of Florida and in select south Florida counties. Flaskerud and Winslow (1998) have provided a framework which can be used to analyze disparities in resource availability, relative risk, and health status indicators and suggests areas in which nursing and other health professionals can ethically intervene through research, practice, and political action.

78 FR 13339 - Florida Petroleum Reprocessors Site; Davie, Broward County, FL; Notice of Settlement

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-27

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL 9785-7; CERCLA-04-2013-3755] Florida Petroleum Reprocessors... settlement with 2238 NW. 86th Street Inc. concerning the Florida Petroleum Reprocessors Site located in Davie... by Site name Florida Petroleum Reprocesssors Site by one of the following methods: www.epa.gov...

Growing the IBCLC Workforce: A Florida Needs Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Eden, Aimee R; Anstey, Erica H; Orriola, Deidre

2018-02-01

Florida has fewer International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) per 1,000 live births than the national average. An important strategy to support breastfeeding entails creating opportunities to prepare and train IBCLCs from underrepresented groups. However, it can be difficult for individuals to access lactation education and gain clinical experience necessary to become an IBCLC. Research aim: The Building a Better Breastfeeding Network project was a needs assessment designed to assess the interest in an IBCLC training program in Florida and perceived barriers and facilitators to completing such a program. An online survey was distributed via email to non-IBCLC students and maternal and child healthcare workers in Florida. Microsoft Excel was used to complete descriptive analyses. Surveys were initiated by 1,939 eligible individuals from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds across the state, 86% of whom responded that they would be possibly to very interested in an IBCLC training program. For those interested, cost was perceived as a potential barrier to enrolling in a program, but flexible course schedules and scholarship or financial aid availability would further attract participants. More than half were interested in working with underserved populations or in low-resource settings, but Black and Hispanic participants were significantly more likely to express interest in working in those settings. Due to the high level of interest in an IBCLC training program in Florida, a formal lactation training program may be successful in attracting diverse students, particularly if funding and program flexibility needs are met.

Southwest Florida Shelf Ecosystems Analysis Study

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Southwest Florida Shelf Ecosystems Analysis Study produced grain size analyses in the historic 073 format for 299 sea floor samples collected from October 25,...

Evaluating Emergency Department Asthma Management Practices in Florida Hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Nowakowski, Alexandra C H; Carretta, Henry J; Dudley, Julie K; Forrest, Jamie R; Folsom, Abbey N

2016-01-01

To assess gaps in emergency department (ED) asthma management at Florida hospitals. Survey instrument with open- and closed-ended questions. Topics included availability of specific asthma management modalities, compliance with national guidelines, employment of specialized asthma care personnel, and efforts toward performance improvement. Emergency departments at 10 large hospitals in the state of Florida. Clinical care providers and health administrators from participating hospitals. Compliance with national asthma care guideline standards, provision of specific recommended treatment modalities and resources, employment of specialized asthma care personnel, and engagement in performance improvement efforts. Our results suggest inconsistency among sampled Florida hospitals' adherence to national standards for treatment of asthma in EDs. Several hospitals were refining their emergency care protocols to incorporate guideline recommendations. Despite a lack of formal ED protocols in some hospitals, adherence to national guidelines for emergency care nonetheless remained robust for patient education and medication prescribing, but it was weaker for formal care planning and medical follow-up. Identified deficiencies in emergency asthma care present a number of opportunities for strategic mitigation of identified gaps. We conclude with suggestions to help Florida hospitals achieve success with ED asthma care reform. Team-based learning activities may offer an optimal strategy for sharing and implementing best practices.

Floral fragrance analysis of Prosthechea cochleata (Orchidaceae), an endangered native, epiphytic orchid, in Florida

Science.gov (United States)

South Florida is home to a number of native species of orchids. The Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge has 27 known species, including Prosthechea cochleata, the clamshell orchid, which is listed as endangered on Florida's Regulated Plant Index. In a prior study done on this species in Mexico,...

Effects of two stormwater management methods on the quality of water in the upper Biscayne aquifer at two commercial areas in Dade County, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

McKenzie, D.J.; Irwin, G.A.

1988-01-01

This study is part of a continued effort to assess the effects of urban stormwater recharge on the water quality of the Biscayne aquifer in southeast Florida. In this report, the water-quality effects on shallow ground water resulting from stormwater disposal by exfiltration trench and grassy swale were investigated at two small commercial areas in Dade County, Florida. One study area (airport ) was located near the Miami International Airport and had a drainage area of about 10 acres overlying a sandy soil; the other study area ( free zone ) was located at the Miami International Free Trade Zone and had a drainage area of about 20 acres overlying limestone. The monitoring design for each study area consisted of seven sites and included water-quality sampling of the stormwater in the catch basin of the exfiltration trench, ground water from two wells 1 foot from the trench (trench wells), two wells 20 feet from the trench, and ground water from two wells at the swale from April 1985 through May 1986. Eleven water-quality variables (target variables) commonly found in high levels in urban stormwater runoff were used as tracers to estimate possible changes in ground-water quality that may have been caused by stormwater recharge. Comparison of the distribution of target variables indicated that the concentrations tended to be greater in the stormwater in the exfiltration trench than in water from the two wells 1 foot from the trench at both study areas. The concentration difference for several target variables was statistically significant at the 5-percent level. Lead, for example, had median concentrations of 23 and 4 micrograms per liter, respectively, in stormwater and water from the two trench wells at the airport study area, and 38 and 2 micrograms per liter, respectively, in stormwater and groundwater at the free zone. Similar reductions in concentrations between stormwater and water from the two trench wells were indicated for zinc at both study areas and also

Baseline coastal oblique aerial photographs collected from Key Largo, Florida, to the Florida/Georgia border, September 5-6, 2014

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Karen L. M.

2015-09-14

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducts baseline and storm response photography missions to document and understand the changes in vulnerability of the Nation's coasts to extreme storms (Morgan, 2009). On September 5-6, 2014, the USGS conducted an oblique aerial photographic survey from Key Largo, Florida, to the Florida/Georgia border (Figure 1), aboard a Cessna 182 at an altitude of 500 feet (ft) and approximately 1,200 ft offshore (Figure 2). This mission was flown to collect baseline data for assessing incremental changes since the last survey, flown October 1998, and the data can be used in the assessment of future coastal change.

H11870: NOS Hydrographic Survey , Approaches to Miami, Florida, 2008-08-26

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has the statutory mandate to collect hydrographic data in support of nautical chart compilation for safe...

H12008: NOS Hydrographic Survey , Approaches to Miami, Florida, 2008-08-26

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has the statutory mandate to collect hydrographic data in support of nautical chart compilation for safe...

H10748: NOS Hydrographic Survey , Approaches to Miami, Florida, 1997-03-11

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has the statutory mandate to collect hydrographic data in support of nautical chart compilation for safe...

H11869: NOS Hydrographic Survey , Approaches to Miami, Florida, 2008-08-26

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has the statutory mandate to collect hydrographic data in support of nautical chart compilation for safe...

H11868: NOS Hydrographic Survey , Approaches to Miami, Florida, 2008-08-26

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has the statutory mandate to collect hydrographic data in support of nautical chart compilation for safe...

40 CFR 81.49 - Southeast Florida Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Quality Control Region. 81.49 Section 81.49 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Air Quality Control Regions § 81.49 Southeast Florida Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Southeast Florida Intrastate Air Quality Control Region is redesignated to consist of the territorial area...

40 CFR 81.97 - Southwest Florida Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Quality Control Region. 81.97 Section 81.97 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Air Quality Control Regions § 81.97 Southwest Florida Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Southwest Florida Intrastate Air Quality Control Region consists of the territorial area encompassed by the...

76 FR 7095 - Avocados Grown in South Florida; Increased Assessment Rate

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-09

... FIR] Avocados Grown in South Florida; Increased Assessment Rate AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service... established for the Avocado Administrative Committee (Committee), for the 2010-11 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.27 to $0.37 per 55-pound bushel container of Florida avocados handled. The Committee...

Supplying Community College Needs in Basic Speech Courses at Florida Junior College at Jacksonville, Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Griggs, Dorothy Feldbinder; Shannon, Mary Louise

At Florida Junior College at Jacksonville, public speaking instructors employ Jerome S. Bruner's four factors of learning--predisposition to learn, structure of knowledge, sequence, and reinforcement--to plan an effective learning program for students with diverse academic backgrounds and goals. Specifically, six learning units, tailored to both…

Flexible public transportation services in Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-01

This synthesis research provides an overview of the current use of flexible transportation services in Florida through administration of a survey and subsequent identification and examination of case study locations. The research included a literatur...

Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer, West-Central Florida, September 2006

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz, A.G.

2007-01-01

The Floridan aquifer system consists of the Upper and Lower Floridan aquifers separated by the middle confining unit. The middle confining unit and the Lower Floridan aquifer in west-central Florida generally contain highly mineralized water. The water-bearing units containing freshwater are herein referred to as the Upper Floridan aquifer. The Upper Floridan aquifer is the principal source of water in the Southwest Florida Water Management District and is used for major public supply, domestic use, irrigation, and brackish water desalination in coastal communities (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2000). This map report shows the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer measured in September 2006. The potentiometric surface is an imaginary surface connecting points of equal altitude to which water will rise in tightly cased wells that tap a confined aquifer system (Lohman, 1979). This map represents water-level conditions near the end of the wet season, when ground-water levels usually are at an annual high and withdrawals for agricultural use typically are low. The cumulative average rainfall of 46.06 inches for west-central Florida (from October 2005 through September 2006) was 6.91 inches below the historical cumulative average of 52.97 inches (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2006). Historical cumulative averages are calculated from regional rainfall summary reports (1915 to most recent complete calendar year) and are updated monthly by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, is part of a semi-annual series of Upper Floridan aquifer potentiometric-surface map reports for west-central Florida. Potentiometric-surface maps have been prepared for January 1964, May 1969, May 1971, May 1973, May 1974, and for each May and September since 1975. Water-level data are collected in May and September each

Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer, West-Central Florida, September 2007

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz, A.G.

2008-01-01

The Floridan aquifer system consists of the Upper and Lower Floridan aquifers separated by the middle confining unit. The middle confining unit and the Lower Floridan aquifer in west-central Florida generally contain highly mineralized water. The water-bearing units containing fresh water are herein referred to as the Upper Floridan aquifer. The Upper Floridan aquifer is the principal source of water in the Southwest Florida Water Management District and is used for major public supply, domestic use, irrigation, and brackish water desalination in coastal communities (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2000). This map report shows the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer measured in September 2007. The potentiometric surface is an imaginary surface connecting points of equal altitude to which water will rise in tightly-cased wells that tap a confined aquifer system (Lohman, 1979). This map represents water-level conditions near the end of the wet season, when ground-water levels usually are at an annual high and withdrawals for agricultural use typically are low. The cumulative average rainfall of 39.50 inches for west-central Florida (from October 2006 through September 2007) was 13.42 inches below the historical cumulative average of 52.92 inches (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2007). Historical cumulative averages are calculated from regional rainfall summary reports (1915 to most recent complete calendar year) and are updated monthly by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, is part of a semi-annual series of Upper Floridan aquifer potentiometric-surface map reports for west-central Florida. Potentiometric-surface maps have been prepared for January 1964, May 1969, May 1971, May 1973, May 1974, and for each May and September since 1975. Water-level data are collected in May and September each

Potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer, west-central Florida, September 2005

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz, A.G.

2006-01-01

The Floridan aquifer system consists of the Upper and Lower Floridan aquifers separated by the middle confining unit. The middle confining unit and the Lower Floridan aquifer in west-central Florida generally contain highly mineralized water. The water-bearing units containing freshwater are herein referred to as the Upper Floridan aquifer. The Upper Floridan aquifer is the principal source of water in the Southwest Florida Water Management District and is used for major public-supply, domestic use, irrigation, and brackish-water desalination in coastal communities (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2000).This map report shows the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer measured in September 2005. The potentiometric surface is an imaginary surface, connecting points of equal altitude to which water will rise in tightly cased wells that tap a confined aquifer system (Lohman, 1979). This map represents water-level conditions near the end of the wet season, when ground-water levels usually are at an annual high and withdrawals for agricultural use typically are low. The cumulative average rainfall of 55.19 inches for west-central Florida (from October 2004 through September 2005) was 2.00 inches above the historical cumulative average of 53.19 inches (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2005). Historical cumulative averages are calculated from regional rainfall summary reports (1915 to most recent complete calendar year) and are updated monthly by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, is part of a semi-annual series of Upper Floridan aquifer potentiometric-surface map reports for west-central Florida. Potentiometric-surface maps have been prepared for January 1964, May 1969, May 1971, May 1973, May 1974, and for each May and September since 1975. Water-level data are collected in May and September each year

Potentiometric Surface of the Upper Floridan Aquifer, West-Central Florida, May 2007

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz, A.G.

2008-01-01

The Floridan aquifer system consists of the Upper and Lower Floridan aquifers separated by the middle confining unit. The middle confining unit and the Lower Floridan aquifer in west-central Florida generally contain highly mineralized water. The water-bearing units containing fresh water are herein referred to as the Upper Floridan aquifer. The Upper Floridan aquifer is the principal source of water in the Southwest Florida Water Management District and is used for major public supply, domestic use, irrigation, and brackish water desalination in coastal communities (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2000). This map report shows the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer measured in May 2007. The potentiometric surface is an imaginary surface connecting points of equal altitude to which water will rise in tightly-cased wells that tap a confined aquifer system (Lohman, 1979). This map represents water-level conditions near the end of the dry season, when ground-water levels usually are at an annual low and withdrawals for agricultural use typically are high. The cumulative average rainfall of 41.21 inches for west-central Florida (from June 2006 through May 2007) was 11.63 inches below the historical cumulative average of 52.84 inches (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2007). Historical cumulative averages are calculated from regional rainfall summary reports (1915 to most recent complete calendar year) and are updated monthly by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, is part of a semi-annual series of Upper Floridan aquifer potentiometric-surface map reports for west-central Florida. Potentiometric-surface maps have been prepared for January 1964, May 1969, May 1971, May 1973, May 1974, and for each May and September since 1975. Water-level data are collected in May and September each year to show the

77 FR 71688 - Avocados Grown in South Florida; Decreased Assessment Rate

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-04

...; FV12-915-1 FIR] Avocados Grown in South Florida; Decreased Assessment Rate AGENCY: Agricultural... rate established for the Avocado Administrative Committee (Committee) for the 2012-13 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.37 to $0.25 per 55-pound bushel container of Florida avocados handled. The...

Tupinambis merianae as nest predators of crocodilians and turtles in Florida, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzotti, Frank J.; McEachern, Michelle A.; Rochford, Michael; Reed, Robert; Ketterlin Eckles, Jennifer; Vinci, Joy; Edwards, Jake; Wasilewki, Joseph

2015-01-01

Tupinambis merianae, is a large, omnivorous tegu lizard native to South America. Two populations of tegus are established in the state of Florida, USA, but impacts to native species are poorly documented. During summer 2013, we placed automated cameras overlooking one American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) nest, which also contained a clutch of Florida red-bellied cooter (Pseudemys nelsoni) eggs, and one American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) nest at a site in southeastern Florida where tegus are established. We documented tegu activity and predation on alligator and turtle eggs at the alligator nest, and tegu activity at the crocodile nest. Our finding that one of the first two crocodilian nests to be monitored was depredated by tegus suggests that tegus should be further evaluated as a threat to nesting reptiles in Florida.

Objective Lightning Forecasting at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station using Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Surveillance System Data

Science.gov (United States)

Lambert, Winfred; Wheeler, Mark; Roeder, William

2005-01-01

The 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) at Cape Canaveral Air-Force Station (CCAFS)ln Florida issues a probability of lightning occurrence in their daily 24-hour and weekly planning forecasts. This information is used for general planning of operations at CCAFS and Kennedy Space Center (KSC). These facilities are located in east-central Florida at the east end of a corridor known as 'Lightning Alley', an indication that lightning has a large impact on space-lift operations. Much of the current lightning probability forecast is based on a subjective analysis of model and observational data and an objective forecast tool developed over 30 years ago. The 45 WS requested that a new lightning probability forecast tool based on statistical analysis of more recent historical warm season (May-September) data be developed in order to increase the objectivity of the daily thunderstorm probability forecast. The resulting tool is a set of statistical lightning forecast equations, one for each month of the warm season, that provide a lightning occurrence probability for the day by 1100 UTC (0700 EDT) during the warm season.

Building America Case Study: Effect of Ducted HPWH on Space Conditioning and Water Heating Energy Use - Central Florida Lab Home, Cocoa, Florida

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

C. Colon, E. Martin, and D. Parker

2017-04-01

The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of ducted heat pump water heaters (HPWH's) on space conditioning and water heating energy use in residential applications. Two identical HPWH's, each of 60 gallon capacity were tested side by side at the Flexible Residential Test facility (FRTF) laboratories of the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) campus in Cocoa, Florida. The water heating experiments were run in each test house from July 2014 until February 2015.

2008 Northwest Florida Water Management District (NWFWMD) LiDAR: Inland Okaloosa County

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) LAS dataset is a survey of inland Okaloosa County, Florida not covered in the 2008 Florida Department of Emergency...

Ecology of Florida black bears in the Okefenokee-Osceola ecosystem

Science.gov (United States)

Dobey, S.; Masters, D.V.; Scheick, B.K.; Clark, J.D.; Pelton, M.R.; Sunquist, M.E.

2005-01-01

The population status of the Florida black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus) is problematic within many portions of its range and its potential listing as a federally threatened species has been the subject of legal debate. We studied Florida black bears in 2 areas in the Okefenokee-Osceola ecosystem in southeast Georgia (i.e.,Okefenokee) and north Florida (i.e., Osceola) from 1995 to 1999 to evaluate relationships between population characteristics, habitat conditions, and human activities. Bears in Okefenokee were hunted and those in Osceola were not. We captured 205 different black bears (124M:81F) 345 times from June 1995 to September  1998. We obtained 13,573 radiolocations from 87 (16M:71F) individual bears during the study.

Perspectives for Expanded Ocean Observing on the Southeast Florida Shelf and between Cuba and the Bahamas and the US

Science.gov (United States)

Soloviev, A.; Dodge, R. E.; Proni, J.

2012-12-01

A long term ocean observing system was established on the Southeast Florida shelf near Ft. Lauderdale by the Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center (NSUOC) in late 1990s as a cooperative agreement between the NSU Oceanographic Center and USF College of Marine Science. The system has been supported and upgraded during a number of projects funded by the US federal government and private industries. Currently it consists of two ADCP moorings deployed at 240 m and 11 m isobath and coastal meteorological station and primarily serves to support the Office of Naval Research and other Federal agencies projects. During active observational phases, the area is monitored using the new generation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites (TerraSAR-X, Cosmo SkyMed, ALOS PALSAR, RADARSAT 2). The NSUOC Ocean observing system is a component of SECOORA, which has been integrating coastal and ocean observing data in the Southeast United States as a part of IOOS. In this paper we overview the results obtained during more than a decade of observations and discuss perspectives for expanded ocean observing on the Southeast Florida Shelf and between Cuba, Bahamas and US. Increased ocean observations are needed of the major western boundary current, known as the Loop Current in the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Current in the Straits Florida. This ocean current occurs to the west and north of Cuba and along the southeast US. Observations will provide better understanding of the processes that maintain, and account for, the current variability and will be useful in myriad practical applications. A major application is the need to monitor the occurrence of, and to forecast entrainment, trajectories, and detrainment of, potential oil spills that may propagate from Cuban drilling sites located along the north coast of Cuba as well as from proposed drilling in the Bahamas. Such ocean observation information can be used as input for operational response models and result in best

Electrofishing survey of the Great Miami River, September 1994 Annual Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stocker, L.E.; Miller, M.C.; Evans, R.L.; Koch, R.W.

1995-01-01

Fish sampling by electroshocking in the Great Miami River upstream and downstream the Fernald site (September 25 and 26, 1994) was designed to determine changes in the health of the fish community compared to the previous ten years and to collect samples for uranium analyses in fish fillets. Samples of 853 fish, from 27 species, eight families and three sites at river mile (RM) 38, RM 24, and RM 19 provided seventy-eight samples for uranium analyses by an independent laboratory. The biomass of fish caught per hour was greatest at RM 24 > RM 19 > RM 3 8. The diversity index and the heaviest fish community was RM 24 > RM 38 > RM 19. The pooled site at RM 38 near Hamilton was diagnostically separated from the other sites by the young-of-the-year (YOY) golden redhorse, smallmouth bass and golden shiner. The darns at Hamilton acted as an effective barrier against fish migration upriver. Larger freshwater drum, gizzard shad, channel catfish and flathead catfish, which might be expected in rapid current reaches of mid-sized rivers characterize RM 24. The pool at RM 19 was distinguished from the others by YOY gizzard shad, bluegill, and longear sunfish. Thus the fish community in 1994 was separated ecologically by the physical features of the habitat more than by water quality differences between sites. These data suggest that the Fernald effluents in September were having no detectable effects on the distribution of fishes, independent of changes in habitat quality separated on physical attributes of the river channel at each site

Development of Statewide Guidelines for Implementing Leading Pedestrian Intervals in Florida [Summary

Science.gov (United States)

2018-02-01

Pedestrian safety is always a high priority for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), especially as FDOT moves Florida toward a truly multimodal transportation system. Intersections are where vehicles and pedestrians are most likely to int...

Integrating Science & Management: Florida Scrub-Jay Conservation along the Central Florida's Atlantic Coast

Science.gov (United States)

Breininger, David R.

2018-01-01

Florida scrub-jays are a species listed under the Endangered Species Act. The NASA Ecology program has been a partner for conservation, recovery, and translocation across the species range. The objectives of this talk are to update members of the Archie Carr Working Group recovery, conservation, and translocation activities and describe how the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge and nearby conservation lands relate to species recovery actions.

78 FR 57099 - Avocados Grown in South Florida; Increased Assessment Rate

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-17

... Service 7 CFR Part 915 [Doc. No. AMS-FV-13-0054; FV13-915-2 PR] Avocados Grown in South Florida; Increased... rule would increase the assessment rate established for the Avocado Administrative Committee (Committee... Florida avocados handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order, which regulates the...

2006 Volusia County Florida LiDAR

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This dataset is the lidar data for Volusia County, Florida, approximately 1,432 square miles, acquired in early March of 2006. A total of 143 flight lines of Lidar...

77 FR 16548 - Florida Petroleum Reprocessors Superfund Site; Davie, Broward County, FL; Notice of Settlements

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-21

...-2012- 3766; CERCLA-04-2012-3765] Florida Petroleum Reprocessors Superfund Site; Davie, Broward County... costs concerning the Florida Petroleum Reprocessors Superfund Site located in Davie, Broward County.... Painter. Submit your comments by Site name Florida Petroleum Reprocessors by one of the following methods...

Ecosystem history of South Florida; Biscayne Bay sediment core descriptions

Science.gov (United States)

Ishman, S.E.

1997-01-01

The 'Ecosystem History of Biscayne Bay and the southeast Coast' project of the U.S. Geological Survey is part of a multi-disciplinary effort that includes Florida Bay and the Everglades to provide paleoecologic reconstructions for the south Florida region. Reconstructions of past salinity, nutrients, substrate, and water quality are needed to determine ecosystem variability due to both natural and human-induced causes. Our understanding of the relations between the south Florida ecosystem and introduced forces will allow managers to make informed decisions regarding the south Florida ecosystem restoration and monitoring. The record of past ecosystem conditions can be found in shallow sediment cores. This U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report describes six shallow sediment cores collected from Biscayne Bay. The cores described herein are being processed for a variety of analytical procedures, and this provides the descriptive framework for future analyses of the included cores. This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for conformity with U.S. Geological Survey editorial standards or with the North American Stratigraphic Code. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Ground-water flow in the surficial aquifer system and potential movement of contaminants from selected waste-disposal sites at Cecil Field Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Halford, K.J.

1998-01-01

As part of the Installation Restoration Program, Cecil Field Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Florida, is considering remedialaction alternatives to control the possible movement of contaminants from sites that may discharge to the surface. This requires a quantifiable understanding of ground-water flow through the surficial aquifer system and how the system will respond to any future stresses. The geologic units of interest in the study area consist of sediments of Holocene to Miocene age that extend from land surface to the base of the Hawthorn Group. The hydrogeology within the study area was determined from gamma-ray and geologists? logs. Ground-water flow through the surficial aquifer system was simulated with a seven-layer, finite-difference model that extended vertically from the water table to the top of the Upper Floridan aquifer. Results from the calibrated model were based on a long-term recharge rate of 6 inches per year, which fell in the range of 4 to 10 inches per year, estimated using stream hydrograph separation methods. More than 80 percent of ground-water flow circulates within the surficial-sand aquifer, which indicates that most contaminant movement also can be expected to move through the surficial-sand aquifer alone. The surficial-sand aquifer is the uppermost unit of the surficial aquifer system. Particle-tracking results showed that the distances of most flow paths were 1,500 feet or less from a given site to its discharge point. For an assumed effective porosity of 20 percent, typical traveltimes are 40 years or less. At all of the sites investigated, particles released 10 feet below the water table had shorter traveltimes than those released 40 feet below the water table. Traveltimes from contaminated sites to their point of discharge ranged from 2 to 300 years. The contributing areas of the domestic supply wells are not very extensive. The shortest traveltimes for particles to reach the domestic supply wells from their respective

Reconstructing the migration patterns of late Pleistocene mammals from northern Florida, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Hoppe, Kathryn A.; Koch, Paul L.

2007-11-01

We used analyses of the strontium isotope ( 87Sr/ 86Sr) ratios of tooth enamel to reconstruct the migration patterns of fossil mammals collected along the Aucilla River in northern Florida. Specimens date to the late-glacial period and before the last glacial maximum (pre-LGM). Deer and tapir displayed low 87Sr/ 86Sr ratios that were similar to the ratios of Florida environments, which suggest that these taxa did not migrate long distance outside of the Florida region. Mastodons, mammoths, and equids all displayed a wide range of 87Sr/ 86Sr ratios. Some individuals in each taxon displayed low 87Sr/ 86Sr ratios that suggest they ranged locally, while other animals had high 87Sr/ 86Sr ratios that suggest they migrated long distances (> 150 km) outside of the Florida region. Mastodons were the only taxa from this region that provided enough well-dated specimens to compare changes in migration patterns over time. Pre-LGM mastodons displayed significantly lower 87Sr/ 86Sr ratios than late-glacial mastodons, which suggests that late-glacial mastodons from Florida migrated longer distances than their earlier counterparts. This change in movement patterns reflects temporal changes in regional vegetation patterns.

Motivating Factors of Florida Community and State College Information Technology Faculty

Science.gov (United States)

Payne, Wendy Louise

2013-01-01

In this study the core job characteristics that contribute to the internal motivational factors and job satisfaction of information technology faculty members working at a community or state college in Florida were investigated. Fifty-four information technology faculty members working at a community or state college in Florida completed the Job…

Florida Agriculture - Utilizing TRMM to Analyze Sea Breeze Thunderstorm Patterns During El Nino Southern Oscillations and Their Effects Upon Available Fresh Water for South Florida Agricultural Planning and Management

Science.gov (United States)

Billiot, Amanda; Lee, Lucas; McKee, Jake; Cooley, Zachary Clayton; Mitchell, Brandie

2010-01-01

This project utilizes Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Landsat satellite data to assess the impact of sea breeze precipitation upon areas of agricultural land use in southern Florida. Water is a critical resource to agriculture, and the availability of water for agricultural use in Florida continues to remain a key issue. Recent projections of statewide water use by 2020 estimate that 9.3 billion gallons of water per day will be demanded, and agriculture represents 47% of this demand (Bronson 2003). Farmers have fewer options for water supplies than public users and are often limited to using available supplies from surface and ground water sources which depend in part upon variable weather patterns. Sea breeze thunderstorms are responsible for much of the rainfall delivered to Florida during the wet season (May-October) and have been recognized as an important overall contributor of rainfall in southern Florida (Almeida 2003). TRMM satellite data was used to analyze how sea breeze-induced thunderstorms during El Nino and La Nina affected interannual patterns of precipitation in southern Florida from 1998-2009. TRMM's Precipitation Radar and Microwave Imager provide data to quantify water vapor in the atmosphere, precipitation rates and intensity, and the distribution of precipitation. Rainfall accumulation data derived from TRMM and other microwave sensors were used to analyze the temporal and spatial variations of rainfall during each phase of the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Through the use of TRMM and Landsat, slight variations were observed, but it was determined that neither sea breeze nor total rainfall patterns in South Florida were strongly affected by ENSO during the study period. However, more research is needed to characterize the influence of ENSO on summer weather patterns in South Florida. This research will provide the basis for continued observations and study with the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission.

Characterization Of Dissolved Organic Mattter In The Florida Keys Ecosystem

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, D. G.; Shank, G. C.

2009-12-01

Over the past few decades, Scleractinian coral populations in the Florida Keys have increasingly experienced mortality due to bleaching events as well as microbial mediated illnesses such as black band and white band disease. Such pathologies seem to be most correlated with elevated sea surface temperatures, increased UV exposures, and shifts in the microbial community living on the coral itself. Recent studies indicate that corals’ exposure to UV in the Florida Keys is primarily controlled by the concentration of CDOM (Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter) in the water column. Further, microbial community alterations may be linked to changes in concentration and chemical composition of the larger DOM (Dissolved Organic Matter) pool. Our research characterized the spatial and temporal properties of DOM in Florida Bay and along the Keys ecosystems using DOC analyses, in-situ water column optical measurements, and spectral analyses including absorbance and fluorescence measurements. We analyzed DOM characteristics along transects running from the mouth of the Shark River at the southwest base of the Everglades, through Florida Bay, and along near-shore Keys coastal waters. Two 12 hour time-series samplings were also performed at the Seven-Mile Bridge, the primary Florida Bay discharge channel to the lower Keys region. Photo-bleaching experiments showed that the chemical characteristics of the DOM pool are altered by exposure to solar radiation. Results also show that DOC (~0.8-5.8 mg C/L) and CDOM (~0.5-16.5 absorbance coefficient at 305nm) concentrations exhibit seasonal fluctuations in our study region. EEM analyses suggest seasonal transitions between primarily marine (summer) and terrestrial (winter) sources along the Keys. We are currently combining EEM-PARAFAC analysis with in-situ optical measurements to model changes in the spectral properties of DOM in the water column. Additionally, we are using stable δ13C isotopic analysis to further characterize DOM

Extraction of basic roadway information for non-state roads in Florida : [summary].

Science.gov (United States)

2015-07-01

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) maintains a map of all the roads in Florida, : containing over one and a half million road links. For planning purposes, a wide variety : of information, such as stop lights, signage, lane number, and s...

Mist Interval and Hormone Concentration Influence Rooting of Florida and Piedmont Azalea

Science.gov (United States)

Native azalea (Rhododendron spp.) vegetative propagation information is limited. The objective of this experiment is to determine optimal levels of K-IBA and mist intervals for propagation of Florida azalea (Rhododendron austrinum) and Piedmont azalea (Rhododendron canescens). Florida azalea roote...

RECOMMENDED FOUNDATION FILL MATERIALS CONSTRUCTION STANDARD OF THE FLORIDA RADON RESEARCH PROGRAM

Science.gov (United States)

The report summarizes the technical basis for a recommended foundation fill materials standard for new construction houses in Florida. he radon-control construction standard was developed by the Florida Radon Research Program (FRRP). ill material standards are formulated for: (1)...

Water withdrawals, use, and trends in Florida, 2010

Science.gov (United States)

Marella, Richard L.

2014-01-01

In 2010, the total amount of water withdrawn in Florida was estimated to be 14,988 million gallons per day (Mgal/d). Saline water accounted for 8,589 Mgal/d (57 percent) and freshwater accounted for 6,399 Mgal/d (43 percent). Groundwater accounted for 4,166 Mgal/d (65 percent) of freshwater withdrawals, and surface water accounted for the remaining 2,233 Mgal/d (35 percent). Surface water accounted for nearly all (99.9 percent) saline-water withdrawals. An additional 659 Mgal/d of reclaimed wastewater was used in Florida during 2010. Freshwater withdrawals were greatest in Palm Beach County (707 Mgal/d), and saline-water withdrawals were greatest in Hillsborough County (1,715 Mgal/d). Fresh groundwater provided drinking water (public supplied and self-supplied) for 17.33 million people (92 percent of Florida’s population), and fresh surface water provided drinking water for 1.47 million people (8 percent). The statewide public-supply gross per capita use for 2010 was 134 gallons per day, whereas the statewide public-supply domestic per capita use was 85 gallons per day. The majority of groundwater withdrawals (almost 62 percent) in 2010 were obtained from the Floridan aquifer system, which is present throughout most of the State. The majority of fresh surface-water withdrawals (56 percent) came from the southern Florida hydrologic unit subregion and is associated with Lake Okeechobee and the canals in the Everglades Agricultural Area of Glades, Hendry, and Palm Beach Counties, as well as the Caloosahatchee River and its tributaries in the agricultural areas of Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee Counties. Overall, agricultural irrigation accounted for 40 percent of the total freshwater withdrawals (ground and surface), followed by public supply with 35 percent. Public supply accounted for 48 percent of groundwater withdrawals, followed by agricultural self-supplied (34 percent), commercial-industrial-mining self-supplied (7 percent), recreational

A data-based conservation planning tool for Florida panthers

Science.gov (United States)

Murrow, Jennifer L.; Thatcher, Cindy A.; Van Manen, Frank T.; Clark, Joseph D.

2013-01-01

Habitat loss and fragmentation are the greatest threats to the endangered Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi). We developed a data-based habitat model and user-friendly interface so that land managers can objectively evaluate Florida panther habitat. We used a geographic information system (GIS) and the Mahalanobis distance statistic (D2) to develop a model based on broad-scale landscape characteristics associated with panther home ranges. Variables in our model were Euclidean distance to natural land cover, road density, distance to major roads, human density, amount of natural land cover, amount of semi-natural land cover, amount of permanent or semi-permanent flooded area–open water, and a cost–distance variable. We then developed a Florida Panther Habitat Estimator tool, which automates and replicates the GIS processes used to apply the statistical habitat model. The estimator can be used by persons with moderate GIS skills to quantify effects of land-use changes on panther habitat at local and landscape scales. Example applications of the tool are presented.

Genetic characterization of feline leukemia virus from Florida panthers.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Meredith A; Cunningham, Mark W; Roca, Alfred L; Troyer, Jennifer L; Johnson, Warren E; O'Brien, Stephen J

2008-02-01

From 2002 through 2005, an outbreak of feline leukemia virus (FeLV) occurred in Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi). Clinical signs included lymphadenopathy, anemia, septicemia, and weight loss; 5 panthers died. Not associated with FeLV outcome were the genetic heritage of the panthers (pure Florida vs. Texas/Florida crosses) and co-infection with feline immunodeficiency virus. Genetic analysis of panther FeLV, designated FeLV-Pco, determined that the outbreak likely came from 1 cross-species transmission from a domestic cat. The FeLV-Pco virus was closely related to the domestic cat exogenous FeLV-A subgroup in lacking recombinant segments derived from endogenous FeLV. FeLV-Pco sequences were most similar to the well-characterized FeLV-945 strain, which is highly virulent and strongly pathogenic in domestic cats because of unique long terminal repeat and envelope sequences. These unique features may also account for the severity of the outbreak after cross-species transmission to the panther.

Trade-offs between Biofuels Energy Production, Land Use and Water Use in Florida

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fidler, Michal [Intelligentsia International Inc., LaBelle, FL (United States); Capece, John [Intelligentsia International Inc., LaBelle, FL (United States); Hanlon, Edward [Univ. of Florida, Immokalee, FL (United States); Alsharif, Kamal [Univ. of South Florida, Tampa, FL (United States)

2014-02-11

Objective of the presentation is to document land use and water use implications of biomass production to demonstrate the overall resources implications associated with bioethanol production for Florida’s transportation sector needs. Rationale for using biofuels (BF) is explained, so are advantages & challenges of BF production and use. Land use changes (LUC) in Florida are presented and consequences outlined. It is documented that Florida’s agricultural land is a very limited resource, with only 0.43 ac/person comparing to the global average of 1.71 ac/person. The direct relation of increased biofuels production causing increased water use is explained. Favorable climate, water resources, advanced research, traditional leading agricultural role, minor oil reserves, no refineries and increasing energy demands are the main reasons why Florida considers pursuing BF production in large scale. Eight various bioethanol crops produced in Florida were considered in this study (Miscanthus, Switchgrass, Sweet Sorghum, Corn, Elephantgrass, Sugarcane, Energycane, Eucalyptus). Biomass yield and bioethanol yield of these crops are documented. Bioethanol needs of Florida are estimated and related land requirements for the needed bioethanol production calculated. Projections for various bioethanol blends (E15 to E85) are then presented. Finally, water demand for biofuels production is quantified. It is concluded that land use requirement for production of all ethanol in E85 fuel blend in Florida is roughly the same as the total available ag land in Florida for the best yielding biofuels crops (energycane, eucalyptus). Water demand for production of all ethanol needed for E100 would increase current overall water consumption in Florida between 65% and 100% for the most common biofuels crops. Vehicular energy is only 33% of Floridians energy consumption, so even all Florida’s agricultural land was given up for biofuels, it would still produce only 33% of Florida’s total

The structure and composition of Holocene coral reefs in the Middle Florida Keys

Science.gov (United States)

Toth, Lauren T.; Stathakopoulos, Anastasios; Kuffner, Ilsa B.

2016-07-21

The Florida Keys reef tract (FKRT) is the largest coral-reef ecosystem in the continental United States. The modern FKRT extends for 362 kilometers along the coast of South Florida from Dry Tortugas National Park in the southwest, through the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS), to Fowey Rocks reef in Biscayne National Park in the northeast. Most reefs along the FKRT are sheltered by the exposed islands of the Florida Keys; however, large channels are located between the islands of the Middle Keys. These openings allow for tidal transport of water from Florida Bay onto reefs in the area. The characteristics of the water masses coming from Florida Bay, which can experience broad swings in temperature, salinity, nutrients, and turbidity over short periods of time, are generally unfavorable or “inimical” to coral growth and reef development.Although reef habitats are ubiquitous throughout most of the Upper and Lower Keys, relatively few modern reefs exist in the Middle Keys most likely because of the impacts of inimical waters from Florida Bay. The reefs that are present in the Middle Keys generally are poorly developed compared with reefs elsewhere in the region. For example, Acropora palmata has been the dominant coral on shallow-water reefs in the Caribbean over the last 1.5 million years until populations of the coral declined throughout the region in recent decades. Although A. palmata was historically abundant in the Florida Keys, it was conspicuously absent from reefs in the Middle Keys. Instead, contemporary reefs in the Middle Keys have been dominated by occasional massive (that is, boulder or head) corals and, more often, small, non-reef-building corals.Holocene reef cores have been collected from many locations along the FKRT; however, despite the potential importance of the history of reefs in the Middle Florida Keys to our understanding of the environmental controls on reef development throughout the FKRT, there are currently no published

Hydrology and Ecology of Freshwater Wetlands in Central Florida - A Primer

Science.gov (United States)

Haag, Kim H.; Lee, Terrie M.

2010-01-01

Freshwater wetlands are an integral part of central Florida, where thousands are distributed across the landscape. However, their relatively small size and vast numbers challenge efforts to characterize them collectively as a statewide water resource. Wetlands are a dominant landscape feature in Florida; in 1996, an estimated 11.4 million acres of wetlands occupied 29 percent of the area of the State. Wetlands represent a greater percentage of the land surface in Florida than in any other state in the conterminous United States. Statewide, 90 percent of the total wetland area is freshwater wetlands and 10 percent is coastal wetlands. About 55 percent of the freshwater wetlands in Florida are forested, 25 percent are marshes and emergent wetlands, 18 percent are scrub-shrub wetlands, and the remaining 2 percent are freshwater ponds. Freshwater wetlands are distributed differently in central Florida than in other parts of the State. In the panhandle and in northern Florida, there are fewer isolated wetlands than in the central and southern parts of the State, and few of those wetlands are affected by activities such as groundwater withdrawals. In southern Florida, the vast wetlands of the Everglades and the Big Cypress Swamp blanket the landscape and form contiguous shallow expanses of water, which often exhibit slow but continuous flow toward the southwestern coast. In contrast, the wetlands of central Florida are relatively small, numerous, mostly isolated, and widely distributed. In many places, wetlands are flanked by uplands, generating a mosaic of contrasting environments-unique wildlife habitat often adjacent to dense human development. As the population of central Florida increases, the number of residents living near wetlands also increases. Living in close proximity to wetlands provides many Floridians with an increased awareness of nature and an opportunity to examine the relationship between people and wetlands. Specifically, these residents can observe

75 FR 53694 - Florida Petroleum Reprocessors Superfund Site; Davie, Broward County, FL; Notice of Settlement

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [Docket EPA-RO4-SFUND-2010-0729, FRL-9196-1] Florida Petroleum... entered into a settlement for reimbursement of past response costs concerning the Florida Petroleum... No. EPA-RO4- SFUND-2010-0729 or Site name Florida Petroleum Reprocessors Superfund Site by one of the...

77 FR 35862 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; State of Florida: New Source; Review...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-15

...: Final rule. SUMMARY: EPA is taking final action to approve changes to the Florida State Implementation... taking final action to approve changes to the Florida SIP such that it is consistent with federal.... EPA notes that Florida's October 19, 2007, SIP submission makes clarifying changes to rule 62-212.400...

Genetic structure of Florida green turtle rookeries as indicated by mitochondrial DNA control region sequences

Science.gov (United States)

Shamblin, Brian M.; Bagley, Dean A.; Ehrhart, Llewellyn M.; Desjardin, Nicole A.; Martin, R. Erik; Hart, Kristen M.; Naro-Maciel, Eugenia; Rusenko, Kirt; Stiner, John C.; Sobel, Debra; Johnson, Chris; Wilmers, Thomas; Wright, Laura J.; Nairn, Campbell J.

2014-01-01

Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nesting has increased dramatically in Florida over the past two decades, ranking the Florida nesting aggregation among the largest in the Greater Caribbean region. Individual beaches that comprise several hundred kilometers of Florida’s east coast and Keys support tens to thousands of nests annually. These beaches encompass natural to highly developed habitats, and the degree of demographic partitioning among rookeries was previously unresolved. We characterized the genetic structure of ten Florida rookeries from Cape Canaveral to the Dry Tortugas through analysis of 817 base pair mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequences from 485 nesting turtles. Two common haplotypes, CM-A1.1 and CM-A3.1, accounted for 87 % of samples, and the haplotype frequencies were strongly partitioned by latitude along Florida’s Atlantic coast. Most genetic structure occurred between rookeries on either side of an apparent genetic break in the vicinity of the St. Lucie Inlet that separates Hutchinson Island and Jupiter Island, representing the finest scale at which mtDNA structure has been documented in marine turtle rookeries. Florida and Caribbean scale analyses of population structure support recognition of at least two management units: central eastern Florida and southern Florida. More thorough sampling and deeper sequencing are necessary to better characterize connectivity among Florida green turtle rookeries as well as between the Florida nesting aggregation and others in the Greater Caribbean region.

Proceedings fo the Seventeenth Annual Sea Turtle Symposium, 4-8 March 1997, Orlando, Florida, U.S.A.

OpenAIRE

Epperly, Sheryan P.; Braun, Joanne

1998-01-01

The 17th Annual Sea Turtle Symposium was held at the Delta Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida U.S.A. from March 4-8, 1997. The symposium was hosted by Florida Atlantic University, Mote Marine Laboratory, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, Florida Atlantic University and the Comité Nacional para la Conservación y Protección de las Totugas Marinas. The 17th was the largest symposium to date. A total of 720 participants registered, including sea turtle biologists, stu...

Economic contribution of recreating visitors to the Florida Keys/Key West

Science.gov (United States)

Donald B.K. English; Warren Kriesel; Vernon R Leeworthy; Peter C. Wiley

1996-01-01

This report provides estimates of the economic impact that visitors to the Florida Keys have on both the Monroe County and larger South Florida regional economies. Estimates are made for output/sales, income, and employment and include both direct and secondary economic impacts. This report provides the basis for demonstrating the income-producing asset value of the...

Florida Rising: An Assessment of Public Universities in the Sunshine State

Science.gov (United States)

Poliakoff, Michael; Alacbay, Armand

2013-01-01

The State University System of Florida has in recent years faced major budgetary challenges, remarkable for the size of its reductions in state funding, even when compared to the large cuts seen in so many states struck by the recession of 2008. What is more surprising in the world of higher education, however, is the progress that Florida's…

NOAA TIFF Image - 3m Miami Slope, Florida Deep Coral Areas (Miami) - Lost Coast Explorer - (2010), UTM 17N NAD83

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This dataset contains a unified GeoTiff with 3x3 meter cell size representing the slope (in degrees) of several deep coral priority areas off the Atlantic Coast of...

Broader Impact Guidance for Florida Ocean Scientists: Process, Products and Outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, S.

2016-02-01

In response to the 2011 National Science Board report National Science Foundation's Merit Review Criteria: Review and Revision, in 2012 significant changes were made to the portions of the National Science Foundation's (NSF's) Grant Proposal Guide that describe the Foundation's expectations with respect to the Broader Impacts (BI) criterion and what reviewers should look for in assessing the quality of the required BI components of proposals. Over the past 5 years, COSEE Florida (the Florida Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence) has provided individualized content and editorial `coaching' on Broader Impacts for Florida scientists and educators submitting proposals to NSF. As of September 2015, 32% of the plans prepared with our guidance have been associated with projects that have received support. This presentation will review 1) the current BI guidance provided by NSF in the 2012 and subsequent editions of the Grant Proposal Guide, 2) the administrative process used by COSEE Florida to identify and assist scientists in understanding these changes and preparing fundable BI plans, 3) the characteristics of submitted plans in terms of type of plan, PI career stage and demographics 4) `lessons learned' about plan strengths and weaknesses and 5) the products developed (or currently under development) as COSEE Florida legacy documents to guide current and future scientists in addressing the Broader Impacts criterion. Resources developed by other Centers in the national COSEE network and the new National Alliance for Broader Impacts (NABI) will also be described.

NASA Applied Sciences' DEVELOP National Program: Summer 2010 Florida Agriculture

Science.gov (United States)

Cooley, Zachary C.; Billiot, Amanda; Lee, Lucas; McKee, Jake

2010-01-01

The main agricultural areas in South Florida are located within the fertile land surrounding Lake Okeechobee. The Atlantic Watershed monthly rainfall anomalies showed a weak but statistically significant correlation to the Oceanic Nino Index (ONI). No other watershed s anomalies showed significant correlations with ONI or the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI). During La Nina months, less sea breeze days and more disturbed days were found to occur compared to El Nino and neutral months. The increase in disturbed days can likely by attributed to the synoptic pattern during La Nina, which is known to be favorable for tropical systems to follow paths that affect South Florida. Overall, neither sea breeze rainfall patterns nor total rainfall patterns in South Florida s main agricultural areas were found to be strongly influenced by the El Nino Southern Oscillation during our study time.

Recreational Swordfish (Xiphias gladius Fishery: Angler Practices in South Florida (USA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Justin Lerner

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The management of highly migratory species (HMS is a complex domestic and international system that was initially established to regulate HMS taken in commercial fisheries in the Atlantic Ocean. For managing HMS taken in recreational fisheries, the authority and the data required is lacking and remains to be stipulated by regulating bodies. In the United States, Florida saltwater anglers target various HMS, but swordfish (Xiphias gladius is a favorite among anglers. The recreational swordfish fishery off the Southeast Florida coast has experienced resurgence in recent years, with directed tournaments resuming in 2001 after being absent almost 20 years. Today, South Florida supports the largest group of recreational swordfish anglers in the world. Despite the increasing popularity and interest, little data is available describing the recreational swordfish fishery and its socio-economic aspects in South Florida. This study aimed to compile, describe, and identify the demographics, fishing tactics, costs, and fishery management perceptions of recreational swordfish anglers in South Florida based on nonprobability purposive sampling organized through the Southeast Swordfish Club (SESC. The sample size (n = 38 represented about 16–38% of the SESC members and between 6% and 8% of the recreational anglers that actively targeted swordfish in South Florida during the time of the survey. We acknowledge the sample size was small (n = 38, but believe the study encompassed the most active swordfish anglers given their knowledge, expertise, and connection with the fishery in terms of participants, fishing effort, and fishing techniques. As such, it is highly probable that a large portion of the recreational swordfish angling population was represented by members of the SESC in terms of swordfishing gear, techniques, and socio-economics, which reduced apparent bias in the study. Overall, the annual income of recreational swordfish anglers in 2007 ranged

Non-Coop Station History

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Station history documentation for stations outside the US Cooperative Observer network. Primarily National Weather Service stations assigned WBAN station IDs. Other...

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Residential Provisions of the 2015 IECC for Florida

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mendon, Vrushali V. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Zhao, Mingjie [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Taylor, Zachary T. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Poehlman, Eric A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2016-02-15

The 2015 IECC provides cost-effective savings for residential buildings in Florida. Moving to the 2015 IECC from the 2012 IECC base code is cost-effective for residential buildings in all climate zones in Florida.

47 CFR 80.107 - Service of private coast stations and marine-utility stations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Service of private coast stations and marine...) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES Operating Requirements and Procedures Operating Procedures-Land Stations § 80.107 Service of private coast stations and marine-utility stations. A...

Florida Teachers' Attitudes about Teaching Evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Fowler, Samantha R.; Meisels, Gerry G.

2010-01-01

A survey of Florida teachers reveals many differences in comfort level with teaching evolution according to the state's science teaching standards, general attitudes and beliefs about evolution, and the extent to which teachers are criticized, censured, disparaged, or reprehended for their beliefs about the teaching of evolution.

Recensie "The Great Reset" : Richard Florida

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roy van Dalm

2010-01-01

Like the Great Depression and the Long Depression before it, experts have viewed prolonged economic downturns as crises. In The Great Reset , bestselling author Richard Florida argues that we should instead see the recent recession as an opportunity to create entirely new ways of working and living

47 CFR 73.6016 - Digital Class A TV station protection of TV broadcast stations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Digital Class A TV station protection of TV... Class A TV station protection of TV broadcast stations. Digital Class A TV stations must protect authorized TV broadcast stations, applications for minor changes in authorized TV broadcast stations filed on...

Fire Stations

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — Fire Stations in the United States Any location where fire fighters are stationed or based out of, or where equipment that such personnel use in carrying out their...

Do cities deserve more railway stations? The choice of a departure railway station in a multiple-station region

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Givoni, M.; Rietveld, P.

2014-01-01

Promoting the use of rail is an important element in sustainable transport policy. One of the most important decisions to make in planning the railway network is on the number of stations to provide. Stations are the access points to rail services and while each additional station increases rail's

47 CFR 73.6018 - Digital Class A TV station protection of DTV stations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Digital Class A TV station protection of DTV... TV station protection of DTV stations. Digital Class A TV stations must protect the DTV service that... application for digital operation of an existing Class A TV station or to change the facilities of a digital...

Environmental Assessment of the General Plan and Maintenance of Patrick Air Force Base, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-17

females annually ccur in the Northern Gulf of Mexico (U.S.), Dry Tortugas (U.S.), Cay Sal Bank (Bahamas), ergipe and Northern Bahia (Brazil), Southern...Subpopulation occurring from about 29°N. on Florida’s east coast to Sarasota on Florida’s west coast; (3) Dry Tortugas , Florida, Sul>population, (4...B. Witherington, FWC, personal communication 2007). A near complete census of the Dry Tortugas Subpopulation undertaken from 1995 to 2004

78 FR 18314 - Foreign-Trade Zone 169-Manatee County, Florida; Application for Production Authority; ASO, LLC...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-26

... located within Subzone 169A, in Sarasota, Florida. The facility is used for the production of plastic and... County, Florida; Application for Production Authority; ASO, LLC; Subzone 169A (Textile Fabric Adhesive Bandage Coating and Production); Sarasota, Florida An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade...

Potentiometric surface of the upper Floridan aquifer, west-central Florida, May 2011

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz, Anita G.

2011-01-01

The Floridan aquifer system consists of the Upper and Lower Floridan aquifers separated by the middle confining unit. The middle confining unit and the Lower Floridan aquifer in west-central Florida generally contain highly mineralized water. The water-bearing units containing freshwater are herein referred to as the Upper Floridan aquifer. The Upper Floridan aquifer is the principal source of water in the Southwest Florida Water Management District and is used for major public supply, domestic use, irrigation, and brackish water desalination in coastal communities (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2000). This map report shows the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer measured in May 2011. The potentiometric surface is an imaginary surface connecting points of equal altitude to which water will rise in tightly-cased wells that tap a confined aquifer system (Lohman, 1979). This map represents water-level conditions near the end of the dry season, when groundwater levels usually are at an annual low and withdrawals for agricultural use typically are high. The cumulative average rainfall of 45.74 inches for west-central Florida (from June 2010 through May 2011) was 6.85 inches below the historical cumulative average of 52.59 inches (Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2011). Historical cumulative averages are calculated from regional rainfall summary reports (1915 to most recent complete calendar year) and are updated monthly by the Southwest Florida Water Management District. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, is part of a semi-annual series of Upper Floridan aquifer potentiometric-surface map reports for west-central Florida. Potentiometric-surface maps have been prepared for January 1964, May 1969, May 1971, May 1973, May 1974, and for each May and September from 1975 through 2010. Water-level data are collected in May and September each year to

2007 Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) Lidar: Herbert Hoover Dike Project Area (Southeastern Florida, Lake Okeechobee Surrounding Area)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — LiDAR data was collected by Merrick & Company from September through December of 2007 for the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM). The project area...

USING GENETICS TO STUDY ROAD IMPACTS ON BEARS IN FLORIDA

OpenAIRE

Simek, Stephanie L.; Eason, Thomas

2003-01-01

Funding source: Florida Department of Transportation Total Budget: $407,000 Project Period: April 2001 – April 2004 The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has documented an increase in the number of transportation-related bear deaths (roadkill) since the late 1970’s. In addition to impacts on bear populations, vehicle collisions with bears often are traumatic for the people involved and may cause significant collateral damage and personal injury. For these reasons, and be...

Mercury Poisoning at a Home Day Care Center - Hillsborough County, Florida, 2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Tewell, Mackenzie; Spoto, Samantha; Wiese, Michael; Aleguas, Alfred; Peredy, Tamas

2017-05-05

On November 12, 2015, the Florida Poison Information Center Tampa notified the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County of a boy aged 3 years with a urine mercury level of 79 μg/L (normal broken sphygmomanometer (blood pressure monitor) at the home day care center attended by the child.

Review of Florida Red Tide and Human Health Effects

Science.gov (United States)

Fleming, Lora E.; Kirkpatrick, Barbara; Backer, Lorraine C.; Walsh, Cathy J.; Nierenberg, Kate; Clark, John; Reich, Andrew; Hollenbeck, Julie; Benson, Janet; Cheng, Yung Sung; Naar, Jerome; Pierce, Richard; Bourdelais, Andrea J; Abraham, William M.; Kirkpatrick, Gary; Zaias, Julia; Wanner, Adam; Mendes, Eliana; Shalat, Stuart; Hoagland, Porter; Stephan, Wendy; Bean, Judy; Watkins, Sharon; Clarke, Tainya; Byrne, Margaret; Baden, Daniel G.

2010-01-01

This paper reviews the literature describing research performed over the past decade on the known and possible exposures and human health effects associated with Florida red tides. These harmful algal blooms are caused by the dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis, and similar organisms, all of which produce a suite of natural toxins known as brevetoxins. Florida red tide research has benefited from a consistently funded, long term research program, that has allowed an interdisciplinary team of researchers to focus their attention on this specific environmental issue—one that is critically important to Gulf of Mexico and other coastal communities. This long-term interdisciplinary approach has allowed the team to engage the local community, identify measures to protect public health, take emerging technologies into the field, forge advances in natural products chemistry, and develop a valuable pharmaceutical product. The Review includes a brief discussion of the Florida red tide organisms and their toxins, and then focuses on the effects of these toxins on animals and humans, including how these effects predict what we might expect to see in exposed people. PMID:21218152

From city’s station to station city. An integrative spatial approach to the (redevelopment of station areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Luísa Martins da Conceição

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Since its origin, the railway station has had a complicated relationship with the city, demanding periodical updates, particularly regarding spatial issues. With the aim of improving the liveability of station areas, current redevelopment projects are reconceptualising them as balanced transport ‘nodes’ and ‘places’ in the city. However, the proposed spatial solutions do not fully support the sought after economic, social and environmental performances. These intentions continue to be predominantly bounded with the (abstract planological level, not finding appropriate translation at the (concrete spatial design level. Further, the interdisciplinary nature of the highly complex planning and design processes of station areas, which should contribute to enhance the performance of their spaces, reinforces constraints and relegates architecture to a marginal role in this quest. It is thus necessary to understand how architecture can contribute to the improvement of the spatial performance of contemporary stations areas, supporting their current reconceptualization. To gain this understanding, the research explored the factors which influence the spatial definition and performance of European High Speed Train station areas, using “design research” and “research by design”. Via a theoretical integrative framework, synthesized from knowledge developed by architecture and other sciences, case studies of ‘through’ stations were analysed and compared. Six cases, encapsulating the most recurrent relative positions of the railway (infrastructure and the station building towards the(ir direct built environment, were chosen out of a large sample. For each category (cases with railway tracks at (a ground level, (b elevated level and (c underground level, two cases, featuring an adapted station building and a newly built one, were studied. Their physical and functional characteristics were mapped at several scales and moments (in history, as

Florida Reef Fish Visual Census 1999 - Present

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set of Excel files contain data from visual sampling of coral reef fish species in the National Marine Sanctuary along the Florida Keys. The dataset...

AECT Convention, Orlando, Florida 2008 Report

Science.gov (United States)

Vega, Eddie

2009-01-01

This article presents several reports that highlight the events at the 2008 Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) International Convention in Orlando, Florida. At the annual convention this year, the Multimedia Production Division goal was to continue to share information about the latest tools in multimedia production,…

Phased Retrofits in Existing Homes in Florida Phase II: Shallow Plus Retrofits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sutherland, K. [Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction, Cocoa, FL (United States); Parker, D. [Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction, Cocoa, FL (United States); Martin, E. [Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction, Cocoa, FL (United States); Chasar, D. [Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction, Cocoa, FL (United States); Amos, B. [Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction, Cocoa, FL (United States)

2016-02-03

The BAPIRC team and Florida Power and Light (FPL) electric utility pursued a pilot phased energy-efficiency retrofit program in Florida by creating detailed data on the energy and economic performance of two levels of retrofit - simple and deep. For this Phased Deep Retrofit (PDR) project, a total of 56 homes spread across the utility partner's territory in east central Florida, southeast Florida, and southwest Florida were instrumented between August 2012 and January 2013, and received simple pass-through retrofit measures during the period of March 2013 - June 2013. Ten of these homes received a deeper package of retrofits during August 2013 - December 2013. A full account of Phase I of this project, including detailed home details and characterization, is found in Parker et al, 2015 (currently in draft). Phase II of this project, which is the focus of this report, applied the following additional retrofit measures to select homes that received a shallow retrofit in Phase I: a) Supplemental mini-split heat pump (MSHP) (6 homes); b) Ducted and space coupled Heat Pump Water Heater (8 homes); c) Exterior insulation finish system (EIFS) (1 homes); d) Window retrofit (3 homes); e) Smart thermostat (21 homes: 19 NESTs; 2 Lyrics); f) Heat pump clothes dryer (8 homes); g) Variable speed pool pump (5 homes).

Rural and Urban Differences in Sexual Behaviors Among Adolescents in Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Erika L; Mahony, Helen; Noble, Charlotte; Wang, Wei; Ziemba, Robert; Malmi, Markku; Maness, Sarah B; Walsh-Buhi, Eric R; Daley, Ellen M

2018-04-01

The national teen birth rate is higher in rural compared to urban areas. While national data suggest rural areas may present higher risk for adverse sexual health outcomes among adolescents, it is unknown whether there are differences within the state of Florida. Overall, Florida has poorer sexual health indicators for adolescents compared to national rates. The purpose of this study was to assess differences in sexual behaviors among Florida adolescents by rural-urban community location. This study includes baseline data from a randomized controlled trial conducted in Florida high schools. Of the 6316 participants, 74% were urban and 26% were rural. Participants responded to questions on sexual behaviors, sexual behavior intentions, and demographics. We estimated the effect of rural-urban status on risk outcomes after controlling for demographic variables using generalized linear mixed models. More teens from rural areas reported ever having sex (24.0%) compared to urban teens (19.7%). No significant differences were observed for most of sexual behaviors assessed. Nonetheless, urban participants were less likely to intend to have sex without a condom in the next year compared to rural participants (aOR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.63-0.92). Overall, there were no major differences in sexual behaviors between rural and urban adolescents in Florida. However, sexual intentions differed between rural and urban adolescents; specifically, rural adolescents were more likely to intend to have sex without a condom in the next year compared to urban adolescents. Understanding the specific disparities can inform contraception and sexual health interventions among rural youth.

Strong tobacco control program requirements and secure funding are not enough: lessons from Florida.

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Allison; Sullivan, Sarah; Hendlin, Yogi; Barnes, Richard; Glantz, Stanton

2012-05-01

Florida's Tobacco Pilot Program (TPP; 1998-2003), with its edgy Truth media campaign, achieved unprecedented youth smoking reductions and became a model for tobacco control programming. In 2006, 3 years after the TPP was defunded, public health groups restored funding for tobacco control programming by convincing Florida voters to amend their constitution. Despite the new program's strong legal structure, Governor Charlie Crist's Department of Health implemented a low-impact program. Although they secured the program's strong structure and funding, Florida's nongovernmental public health organizations did not mobilize to demand a high-impact program. Implementation of Florida's Amendment 4 demonstrates that a strong programmatic structure and secure funding are insufficient to ensure a successful public health program, without external pressure from nongovernmental groups.

Puerto Rico and Florida manatees represent genetically distinct groups

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, Margaret E.; Mignucci-Giannoni, Antonio A.; Tucker, Kimberly Pause; King, Timothy L.; Bonde, Robert K.; Gray, Brian A.; McGuire, Peter M.

2012-01-01

The West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) populations in Florida (T. m. latirostris) and Puerto Rico (T. m. manatus) are considered distinct subspecies and are listed together as endangered under the United States Endangered Species Act. Sustained management and conservation efforts for the Florida subspecies have led to the suggested reclassification of the species to a threatened or delisted status. However, the two populations are geographically distant, morphologically distinct, and habitat degradation and boat strikes continue to threaten the Puerto Rico population. Here, 15 microsatellite markers and mitochondrial control region sequences were used to determine the relatedness of the two populations and investigate the genetic diversity and phylogeographic organization of the Puerto Rico population. Highly divergent allele frequencies were identified between Florida and Puerto Rico using microsatellite (F ST = 0.16; R ST = 0.12 (P ST = 0.66; Φ ST = 0.50 (P E = 0.45; NA = 3.9), were similar, but lower than those previously identified in Florida (HE = 0.48, NA = 4.8). Within Puerto Rico, the mitochondrial genetic diversity values (π = 0.001; h = 0.49) were slightly lower than those previously reported (π = 0.002; h = 0.54) and strong phylogeographic structure was identified (F ST global = 0.82; Φ ST global = 0.78 (P population size (N = 250), and distinct threats and habitat emphasize the need for separate protections in Puerto Rico. Conservation efforts including threat mitigation, migration corridors, and protection of subpopulations could lead to improved genetic variation in the endangered Puerto Rico manatee population.

Tospoviruses and Thrips and Integrated Resistance Management Strategies in Pepper in Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Florida ranks second in the production and value of bell pepper in the U.S. In 2015, Florida produced over one-half billion pounds of bell pepper on over 12,000 acres, valued at over 220 million dollars. In recent years, several invasive species of thrips and thrips-vectored tospoviruses have beco...

Far-Field Effects of Large Earthquakes on South Florida's Confined Aquifer

Science.gov (United States)

Voss, N. K.; Wdowinski, S.

2012-12-01

The similarity between a seismometer and a well hydraulic head record during the passage of a seismic wave has long been documented. This is true even at large distances from earthquake epicenters. South Florida lacks a dense seismic array but does contain a comparably dense network of monitoring wells. The large spatial distribution of deep monitoring wells in South Florida provides an opportunity to study the variance of aquifer response to the passage of seismic waves. We conducted a preliminary study of hydraulic head data, provided by the South Florida Water Management District, from 9 deep wells in South Florida's confined Floridian Aquifer in response to 27 main shock events (January 2010- April 2012) with magnitude 6.9 or greater. Coseismic hydraulic head response was observed in 7 of the 27 events. In order to determine what governs aquifer response to seismic events, earthquake parameters were compared for the 7 positive events. Seismic energy density (SED), an empirical relationship between distance and magnitude, was also used to compare the relative energy between the events at each well site. SED is commonly used as a parameter for establishing thresholds for hydrologic events in the near and intermediate fields. Our analysis yielded a threshold SED for well response in South Florida as 8 x 10-3 J m-3, which is consistent with other studies. Deep earthquakes, with SED above this threshold, did not appear to trigger hydraulic head oscillations. The amplitude of hydraulic head oscillations had no discernable relationship to SED levels. Preliminary results indicate a need for a modification of the SED equation to better accommodate depth in order to be of use in the study of hydrologic response in the far field. We plan to conduct a more comprehensive study incorporating a larger subset (~60) of wells in South Florida in order to further examine the spatial variance of aquifers to the passing of seismic waves as well as better confine the relationship

The influence of seagrass on shell layers and Florida Bay mudbanks

Science.gov (United States)

Prager, E.J.; Halley, R.B.

1999-01-01

Aerial photography indicates that sometime since the early 1970's, an emergent ridge of shell debris developed on a mudbank north of Calusa Key in Florida Bay. Coarse shell deposits on and within the Bay's shallow mudbanks are believed to be the product of transport during major storm events and subsequent winnowing. However, shell material from the ridge contains nuclear bomb 14C, supporting formation within the past 30 years and the last major hurricanes to influence Florida Bay were Donna and Betsy (1960 and 1965). Results from this study suggest that the Calusa ridge and other coarse shell deposits in Florida Bay can result from, 1) periodic seagrass mortality and wave-induced transport during frequent winter cold fronts and/or 2) mollusc blooms and subsequent burial. A survey of bottom types indicates that dense to intermediate beds of seagrass, mainly Thalassia testudinum (turtle grass), occur within the shallow basins of western Florida Bay and along the margins of Bay mudbanks. Wave measurements and modeling indicate that Thalassia along mudbank margins can reduce incoming wave-energy by over 80%. Seagrass beds also host particularly dense populations of molluscs from periodic 'blooms' and are believed to be the major source of coarse sediments in the Bay. Thus, if bank-edge seagrass dies, sediments, including shell debris, become exposed and subject to greatly increased wave energy. Modeling indicates that winds typical of winter cold fronts in South Florida can produce near-bottom velocities and shear stress at a grass-free bank edge which are sufficient to transport coarse carbonate grains. Shell layers found at depth in mudbank cores can also be explained by previous episodes of sediment accretion over mollusc-rich seagrass beds or grass bed mortality at the edge of a mudbank and shell transport during cold front passage. The latter implies that mortality of marginal seagrass beds has occurred throughout the history of Florida Bay and that the

Community Resources Guide for Central Florida = Una Guia de Recursos en la Comunidad de Florida Central.

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, Linda, Comp.

Designed to orient Hispanic refugees to the services that are available in Central Florida, this bilingual guide consists of a section of general information on living and working in the United States and a section devoted to various public and private agencies. Provided first are addresses and phone numbers of various government agencies:…

Understanding Transitions Toward Sustainable Urban Water Management: Miami, Las Vegas, Los Angeles

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, M. E.; Manago, K. F.; Treuer, G.; Deslatte, A.; Koebele, E.; Ernst, K.

2016-12-01

Cities in the United States face numerous threats to their long-term water supplies including preserving ecosystems, competing uses, and climate change. Yet, it is unclear why only some cities have transitioned toward more sustainable water management. These transitions include strategies such as water conservation, water supply portfolio diversification, long-term planning, and integrated resource management. While the circumstances that motivate or moderate transition may vary greatly across cities' physical and institutional contexts, identifying common factors associated with transition can help resource managers capitalize on windows of opportunity for change. To begin the process of identifying such factors, we ask two questions: 1) what combinations of conditions are associated with water management transitions?, and 2) what are the outcomes of these transitions? We examine three cases of utility-level water management in Miami, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles to create data-driven narratives detailing each city's transition. These narratives systematically synthesize multiple data sources to enable cross-case comparison and provide insights into how and why cities transition. Using the foundational concepts from the exposure-based theory of urban change, we focus our analysis on three broad categories of variables that influence urban water management transition: biophysical, political, and regulatory exposures. First, we compare these factors across time and across cities using metrics that standardize diverse data sources. Next, we incorporate qualitative factors that capture a city's unique conditions by integrating these metrics with salient contextual information. Then, through cross-city comparison, we identify factors associated with transition.