State Of Florida Research Articles

Evaluating the Prevalence of Maternal Health Indicators on Infant Mortality Rates in Florida.

Background The infant mortality rate is defined as the number of infant deaths for every 1000 live births. In 2020, the infant mortality rate was 5.8% in the state of Florida, compared to 7.0% in 2000. Although infant mortality rates have declined in the state of Florida, disparities influencing these rates exist across varying Florida counties, with the widest differences being compared between the healthiest versus unhealthiest counties in Florida.Many factors can contribute to high infant mortality rates in certain counties, including income inequality, access to and quality of healthcare, race/ethnicity, obesity, and disadvantaged socioeconomic status (SES). Methods This study utilized data from Florida Health Charts on infant mortality rates in the state of Florida and the Pregnancy and Young Child Profiles in 10 counties to examine how certain risk factors impact infant mortality outcomes in the state of Florida. These 10 counties consistoffive healthiest andfive unhealthiest counties, as determined by the 2022 County Health Rankings data. T-tests were used to evaluate the relationship between county health status and several county health indicators. Results The average infant mortality rate from 2011 to 2020 differed significantly among healthy and unhealthy counties (p-value=0.0000). Median household income, individuals below the poverty level, and those aged zero to 17 years old were found to differ significantly by county health status (p-values 0.0000, 0.001, and 0.009, respectively). However, mothers having no high school education, births with first-trimester care, births with adequate care, and births with late or no prenatal care were not statistically significant. Conclusion Our study suggests that counties more likely to have fewer resources than other counties, such as those considered unhealthy, are more impacted by a higher infant mortality rate. The unhealthy counties in this study were found to have lower average median household income, higher rates of no high school education among mothers, and less prenatal care in comparison to healthy counties.

Arthropod Diversity in an Urban Forest from Miami Dade County, Florida, US

Arthropods are excellent candidates for studying how the formation of urban ecosystems impacts the environment for several reasons. Foremost of these is the variety of roles played by arthropods in ecosystem functioning (e.g., food web dynamics, nutrient cycling and redistribution, and pollination) with many of these roles being economically important [e.g. pollination by domestic bees is an $18 billion/year industry in the US alone]. Urban ecosystems have been neglected in ecological research. Arthropods are abundant in urban settings, but little is known about how these animals respond to urbanization. In this project, we present data on species composition and structure of the communities of arthropods from Saint Thomas University Urban Forest, in the city of Miami Gardens, Miami Dade County, State of Florida, USA. In order to conduct our samplings, we set up 16 pitfall traps, as is usually done for invertebrate soil biodiversity. We then sorted and identified collected individuals using a Dissecting Microscope. Data were analyzed using PAST to calculate diversity indices of the sites studied and species organization. We collected a total of 31 species distributed in 21 Families and 13 Orders. Most species were identified up to the species level. Total number of individuals was 2147, representing a high abundance. The most abundant species was Solenopsis molesta, represented by 1313 individuals. Invertebrates are sensitive to climatic and ecological alterations. Their small bodies desiccate easily, a factor which may limit their evolutionary response to accelerated temperature increases. Consequently, the understanding, preservation, and development of urban forests can provide an avenue through which the conservation of local communities is sustained, starting with some of its most numerous and ecologically sensitive species.

Promoting Rural-Residing Parents' Receptivity to HPV Vaccination: Targeting Messages and Mobile Clinic Implementation.

Interventions are needed to increase low HPV vaccination rates within rural areas in the United States, particularly in the state of Florida, which has the seventh highest number of HPV-related cancers. Florida also ranks low compared to other states in terms of HPV vaccination. Rural-residing parents may benefit from two evidence-based strategies to increase vaccination rates: reminder messages informing and prompting vaccination appointments and mobile clinics to reduce transportation barriers. We sought to identify parental attitudes towards (1) message features that promote rural-residing parents' receptivity to HPV vaccination; (2) parents' acceptability of three reminder message modalities (text, postcard, phone); and (3) implementation factors that promote parents' acceptability of using a mobile clinic for vaccination. We recruited 28 rural-residing parents of 9- to 12-year-old children (unvaccinated for HPV) for focus group and individual interviews and thematically analyzed transcripts. Three features promoted parents' receptivity to HPV vaccination messages: source credibility, specific information coverage, and personalization (name and birthday wishes). Parents most preferred text messages and identified three factors promoting parents' mobile clinic use: convenience and feasibility, trustworthiness, and detailed information. The findings indicate rural-residing parents' acceptability of reminder messages and mobile clinics as well as the importance of trust and feasibility when implementing these evidence-based strategies for rural-residing parents.

Public perceptions of artificial intelligence in healthcare: ethical concerns and opportunities for patient-centered care

BackgroundIn an effort to improve the quality of medical care, the philosophy of patient-centered care has become integrated into almost every aspect of the medical community. Despite its widespread acceptance, among patients and practitioners, there are concerns that rapid advancements in artificial intelligence may threaten elements of patient-centered care, such as personal relationships with care providers and patient-driven choices. This study explores the extent to which patients are confident in and comfortable with the use of these technologies when it comes to their own individual care and identifies areas that may align with or threaten elements of patient-centered care.MethodsAn exploratory, mixed-method approach was used to analyze survey data from 600 US-based adults in the State of Florida. The survey was administered through a leading market research provider (August 10–21, 2023), and responses were collected to be representative of the state’s population based on age, gender, race/ethnicity, and political affiliation.ResultsRespondents were more comfortable with the use of AI in health-related tasks that were not associated with doctor-patient relationships, such as scheduling patient appointments or follow-ups (84.2%). Fear of losing the ‘human touch’ associated with doctors was a common theme within qualitative coding, suggesting a potential conflict between the implementation of AI and patient-centered care. In addition, decision self-efficacy was associated with higher levels of comfort with AI, but there were also concerns about losing decision-making control, workforce changes, and cost concerns. A small majority of participants mentioned that AI could be useful for doctors and lead to more equitable care but only when used within limits.ConclusionThe application of AI in medical care is rapidly advancing, but oversight, regulation, and guidance addressing critical aspects of patient-centered care are lacking. While there is no evidence that AI will undermine patient-physician relationships at this time, there is concern on the part of patients regarding the application of AI within medical care and specifically as it relates to their interaction with physicians. Medical guidance on incorporating AI while adhering to the principles of patient-centered care is needed to clarify how AI will augment medical care.

Incremental Societal Costs of Perioperative Complications Following Adult Elective Inpatient Major Therapeutic Surgery in the State of Florida: A Seven-Year Retrospective Epidemiological Analysis.

Introduction There is an expanding role for anesthesiologists in the preoperative optimization and postoperative management of patients, often in the context of a so-called perioperative surgical home. Such efforts typically include enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols and often an anesthesiologist-led team for perioperative management. Studies of the cost-effectiveness of such approaches have generally been conducted at single institutions, with most patients cared for by small numbers of surgeons. This limitation creates generalizability issues as to whether improvement was related mostly to organizational culture or the studied surgeons' practices (non-generalizable) versusthe procedures (generalizable). We studied whether other organizations can rely on achieving similar benefits following the adoption of a studied process improvement strategy at a single institution. Methods All patients undergoing elective major therapeutic inpatient surgery discharged between October 2015 and June 2022 at non-federal hospitals in the state of Florida were included. For each discharge, the United States Medicare Severity Diagnosis-Related Group (MS-DRG) weighting factor (i.e., the multiplier for the hospital's base rate for admissions that determines reimbursement) and the Clinical Classification Software Refined (CCSR) code for the principal procedure were determined at admission and discharge from the state's inpatient healthcare database based on the diagnoses present at those time points. An increase in the weighting factor from admission to discharge represents societal costs from perioperative complications. Statewide, by hospital, and by surgeon, we calculated the total increase for each CCSR's weighting factor. Our primary hypothesis was that surgeon variability would be statistically greater than CCSR variability but that the incremental effect would be <5%. If CCSR and surgeon variability were comparable, this would be supportive of generalizability. In contrast, if there were a predominant effectrelated to the surgeon, results from one institution might not be applicable to others. Results Among the 1,482,344 discharges studied, the pooled (N=7 years) contributions to MS-DRG weighting factor increases from the upper 20% of surgeons were 2.8% more than from the upper 20% of CCSRs (95% CI 1.9%-3.9%, p=0.0006). Those CCSRs accounted for 85.5% (95% CI 79.4%-91.7%, p<0.0001) of the total increase in the MS-DRG weighting factor. The average contribution of the top two surgeons at each hospital to that hospital's increase in the weighting factor ranged among CCSRs from 68% to 97%.The median and 75th percentile of surgeons performing at least 10% of the total number of cases at each hospital was similar to those values for the contributions to the increases in the MS-DRG weighting factor, median 2.0 to 3.0, and 75th percentile 1.75 to 4.0. Conclusions Because variability among surgeons in their contributions to increases in the MS-DRG weighting factor only slightly exceeded the variability among CCSR surgical categories, perioperative surgical home and ERAS study research results involving single institutions and a small number of surgeons would likely be generalizable to other hospitals and healthcare systems. Funding agencies should not be hesitant to fund single-center perioperative surgical home studiesand ERAS interventions based on concerns related to lack of generalizability.

자율주행자동차 상용화에 대비한 자동차보험제도 연구

On May 7, 2016, in the state of Florida, USA, a fatal accident occurred involving an autonomous vehicle and a large truck, leading to the death of the driver. This incident heightened interest in autonomous vehicles and sparked discussions on their implications, including the challenges and liability issues in the event of accidents during autonomous operation. The application of existing legal frameworks, such as Article 750 of the Civil Code on tort liability and Article 3 of the Automobile Damage Compensation Guarantee Act on operator liability, to accidents involving autonomous vehicles raises questions about identifying responsible parties and compensating victims. This study examines the applicability of these legal principles to accidents occurring during autonomous driving and proposes the introduction of a No-Fault insurance system as a novel automotive insurance mechanism to address these issues. The analysis revealed that the No-Fault insurance system, a solution to the problems posed by the current fault-based liability system and already implemented in several advanced countries since the early 2000s, was considered but ultimately not adopted in South Korea due to challenges in amending existing legislation, limitations in calculating insurance rates, and concerns over moral hazard, among other issues. However, as autonomous vehicles are poised to integrate into our lives more rapidly than anticipated, and the social concerns regarding traffic accidents during autonomous operation deepen, it is imperative to form a task force comprising the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, the Financial Supervisory Service, the General Insurance Association, among others, before it's too late. This task force should engage in research and discussions, while building a consensus among the public, to prepare for the new automotive market driven by the autonomous vehicle industry.

«Lace Miracle», lichens as an indicator of the ecological situation using the example of Turkey Creek, Florida

In this article, we took a walk-exploration of a piece of paradise called Turkey Creek in the center of Florida. Enjoying the spring period of the awakening of nature, accompanied by a multitude of birds and other unique sounds of the inhabitants of Turkey Creek, we paid special attention to the diversity of lichens, which, as bioindicators, react and reflect the state and quality of the environment. Lichens are very sensitive to air pollution and die when there is a high content of carbon monoxide, sulfur compounds, nitrogen and fluorine. The degree of sensitivity varies among species, so they can be used as living indicators of environmental cleanliness. Based on the composition of lichens, the concentration of various pollutants in the air can be quantified using developed scales and formulas. Lichens are a unique group of lower plants. Lichens combine two organisms with opposite properties: an alga (usually green), which creates organic matter through the process of photosynthesis, and a fungus that consumes this substance. Lichens are characterized by fairly high tolerance to climatic factors and sensitivity to environmental pollutants and are widely used as environmental indicators. Lichens contain many macro- and microelements, organic acids, hormones and enzymes. Vitamins are produced by lichens in very small quantities. Lichens produce specific substances that are not found in other organisms (lichen starch, lichen acids, etc.). Lichens have the ability to extract various elements from the environment and accumulate in their thallus. The number of currently known lichen substances exceeds 250, of which 75 are found only in lichens. Lichens are indicators of the environmental situation. Our goal is to find out whether recreational load affects the state of the environment in people’s recreation areas. We carried out our study of the state of the environment in the state of Florida in the Turkey Creek natural park. This territory was chosen because the natural complexes of the area are characterized by high environment-forming, environmental, and recreational significance. In the last decade, the anthropogenic load on ecosystems associated with the recreational use of the territory has been increasing. It is worth familiarizing yourself with the types of lichens that were seen in the study area.

A holistic optimization-based approach for sustainable selection of level crossings for closure with safety, economic, and environmental considerations

An intersection of railway and highway segments at the same elevation, known as a highway-rail grade crossing or level crossing, presents significant safety concerns and operational challenges. To mitigate these issues, different methods can be adopted, such as implementation of countermeasures (e.g., installation of flashing lights, gates, and median barriers), grade separations, and level crossing closures. The closure of selected level crossings, when done thoughtfully in consultation with relevant stakeholders and affected communities, can be a highly effective alternative. However, the majority of studies in this field primarily focuses on the implementation of countermeasures and mainly concentrates on safety-related aspects. Considering the drawbacks in the current research, a novel optimization model to identify level crossings for closure is presented in this study, which evaluates various benefits from closing specifically selected level crossings, including safety, economic, and environmental benefits, as well as reduction in traffic delays and maintenance and operational costs. A specialized heuristic algorithm inspired by sorting principles is developed to solve the decision problem addressed in this study. A set of comprehensive computational experiments are performed focusing on level crossings situated in the State of Florida (United States). The findings show clear superiority of the developed heuristic algorithm against the exact method, as it was able to solve the generated problem instances ≈20 times faster with the average optimality gap of only 0.14 %. Additionally, various sensitivity analyses are performed to illustrate managerial implications from the implementation of the proposed optimization approach to administer closures of level crossings.

"The Shifting Face of Aesthetic Care: A Systematic Survey of Independent Medspa Directorship and Practitioner Trends in Florida".

The rapid proliferation of medical spas in the US has raised concerns over the continued shift of non-surgical aesthetic treatments away from traditional core specialty integration and supervision, potentially affecting the surgical treatment guidance and education of cosmetic surgery patients. This study aimed to assess the current trends in the growth of independent medspa facilities as well as practitioner supervision, licensing, and specialization in the state of Florida. A comprehensive, statewide survey of all independent medspas in Florida, by municipality, employing Google and Yellow Pages search engines. Information gathered included the number of locations, business stakeholders, and director/practitioner licensing and certification obtained from the Florida Division of Corporations/Department of Health databases and respective medical boards. A total of 1,038 medspas were identified, revealing a 100% increase in number relative to 2021 estimates. Non-physician practitioners represented 84% of medspa providers, with core specialty medical director supervision present in only 22% of facilities and a large proportion of directors lacking specialty training (77%) or board certification (42%). Additionally, 25% of medspas appeared to disregard state guidelines pertaining to medical directorship, autonomous non-physician practice, and numerical/geographic restrictions on directorship, with 96% of facilities lacking licensing/registration with Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration. Medspa growth in Florida has been explosive, with continued departure from core supervision, increasingly limited specialty training/integration, and non-adherence to state guidelines. Enhanced regulation and integrated non-physician practitioner training are likely necessary to ensure patient safety and the cohesive practice of aesthetic medicine and surgery.

STAGES OF BECOMING A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER IN FLORIDA

This article outlines the steps a teacher must take to obtain a special education teacher license in the state of Florida. It was established that there are different types of certificates: those that allow to carry out educational activities with students with general educational needs; to carry out educational activities with students with speech and language impairments; deaf and hard of hearing; and visually impaired children. To obtain a license, an applicant must complete a special education college program, complete an internship and write a coursework, pass the Florida State Teacher Certification Examination, and obtain a special education teacher certificate. The cost of college varies from state to state, but there are different types of financial aid available. Practice characteristics for special education teachers are also vary by program and course. A standard 4-year special education program involves a gradual intensity of student. After passing the practical part, a teacher pass the Florida State Teacher Certification Examination (FTCE), which consists of three different tests. The next step is obtaining a certificate (professional or temporary). There are many resources for special education teachers that are designed to support and advance the skills of special education teachers. Despite such a wide variety of professional development paths, there is an acute shortage of special education professionals in Florida. In order to eliminate the problem, the US government foresees an increase in wages and the number of jobs in the perspective of 2020‒2030. It was established that in addition to traditional classroom classes, professional development in the field of special education offers different opportunities for career growth. Knowledge of special education can also be used to work in positions funded by statewide programs aimed at meeting the needs of people with disabilities. Work experience in the field of special education gives an advantage among other applicants for teaching activities. The prospects for the work of a special teacher were outlined and the main shortcomings of this field of education were identified.

The Impacts of Ongoing Higher Education Legislation on University Instruction: Perspectives from an Anthropology Graduate Student in the State of Florida

The Impacts of Ongoing Higher Education Legislation on University Instruction: Perspectives from an Anthropology Graduate Student in the State of Florida

Inlet-adjacent beach and shoreline variability at decadal scales

Beaches provide storm protection and economic benefit for coastal communities and also host important habitats for keystone species, especially in the state of Florida. However, sea level rise, coastal construction, and intensifying storms are resulting in coastal erosion, which often requires informed mitigation and management strategies. This study aims to explore decadal-scale trends in morphology change and shoreline variability of inlet-adjacent beaches in Jupiter, Florida. Data from three locations over a period of three decades were analyzed to determine volumetric and contour changes above the shoreline (0 m elevation) and across the entire profile. The largest variability in decadal morphology change was measured at beaches closest to Jupiter Inlet. Substantial shoreline and beach changes were also associated with periods of higher storm activity. Variability in storm events, nourishment trends, and longshore sediment transport also influenced decadal morphologic change. To best adapt to coastal change and develop comprehensive beach-inlet management plans, it is imperative to understand past trends of shoreline variability and beach-nearshore erosion and accretion patterns. Results of this study demonstrate an approach to elucidate decadal patterns in morphology changes and drivers of change.

Using human mobility data to detect evacuation patterns in hurricane Ian

ABSTRACT Hurricane Ian in 2022 was a destructive category 4 Atlantic hurricane striking the state of Florida, which caused hundreds of deaths and injuries, catastrophic property damage, and an economic loss of more than $112 billion. Before the landfall of Ian in Florida, the state government issued evacuation orders in high-risk zones to reduce casualties and injuries. However, there is limited data available to monitor the actual evacuation patterns and compliance with the evacuation orders at a large geographic scale. This study utilizes human mobility data (i.e. SafeGraph Weekly Pattern) to analyse the spatial patterns of evacuation during Hurricane Ian in 2022. The objectives of the study include three key aspects: 1) proposing an analytical workflow that utilizes human mobility data to detect mobility patterns in disasters and other emergency events; 2) identifying significant evacuation patterns, and 3) revealing the spatial variations in the compliance with evacuation orders in the affected areas. Using data science and spatial analysis techniques, this study detected notable changes in population movements, both within Florida and nationwide, which are potentially linked to the hurricane-induced population evacuation. The distance decay pattern of population flows from Florida demonstrates a propensity for individuals to relocate to nearby areas during the hurricane. Furthermore, the increase in population outflows from the impacted areas suggests the effectiveness of mandatory evacuation orders. A more pronounced increase in outflows from designated mandatory evacuation areas points to the public awareness of the evacuation zone designation. This study provides large-scale, fine-resolution analysis of evacuation behaviours in natural disasters which cannot be easily detected in traditional data sources. The analytical workflows provide actionable tools for government agencies and policymakers to evaluate the effectiveness of evacuation orders and improve evacuation plans in future disasters.

The Effects of Housing Price Declines on Children's Educational Outcomes

Abstract We examine the effects that household exposure to housing price declines, captured by measures of negative equity, have on children's academic performance, using data on public school students and housing transactions from the State of Florida. Our empirical strategy exploits variation over time in the timing of family moves to account for household sorting into neighborhoods and schools and selection into initial mortgage terms. In contrast to the existing literature on the effects of foreclosure, we find that students with the highest risk of negative equity exhibit significantly higher test score growth, with the largest effects among Black students and students qualifying for free or reduced-priced lunch. We find evidence supporting two underlying mechanisms: (1) families in negative equity may reduce the impact of income losses on consumption by forgoing mortgage payments, and (2) families exposed to high levels of negative equity may move to schools that received higher average school report card grades. While negative equity and foreclosure are undesirable, negative equity may have encouraged homeowners to forgo mortgage payments to mitigate the impact of the Great Recession, and temporarily reduced the housing market barriers low-income households faced in accessing educational opportunities.

Smokey Hollow: Circulations of Race and Value in Tallahassee, Florida

The historic neighborhood of Smokey Hollow was the center of a vibrant Black community in Tallahassee, Florida. While it was the site of the city dump and gasification plant, it had its own bustling circulations and flows. In this paper, we examine how the State of Florida and the City of Tallahassee mobilized conceptions of race, value, and circulation to categorize Smokey Hollow as blighted. We draw on archival documents and oral histories to illustrate how governing authorities linked white mobility with value and Blackness to stagnancy and waste. They used these discourses to forward urban renewal efforts that erased Black place and its circulations to make way for transportation infrastructure that better connected white suburban spaces to the Tallahassee Capitol Center, and later, greenspace. Examining five moments in the historic transformation of Smokey Hollow—from Black place to greenspace—shows how relations of race, value, and circulation inform the production of urban space. We argue that logics of circulation and stagnancy need to be brought into conversation with critical analysis of racial capitalism and valuation to better understand urban renewal and how the destruction of Black place is rationalized in the U.S. South.

The Future of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Embattled Environments: The Challenge to Educators and Providers Serving a Growingly More Diverse Geriatric Population and How to Overcome that Challenge

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is the organizational approach to ensure fair treatment and welcomed participation of all groups. We can trace the roots of DEI back to the 1906’s civil rights movement and the African American struggle. As the movement evolved, it encompassed other groups vulnerable to discrimination. These groups include people of different ages, races, religions, ethnicities, different physical abilities, neurodiversity, socioeconomic means, genders, and sexual orientations.DEI is an important aspect of our healthcare institutions in the way of recruitment, admission, hiring, promotions, and practices. DEI is now under fire in several states. This has implications for the quality of training, effectiveness, and delivery of healthcare to all diverse populations. Our geriatric populations have grown more diverse by way of an aging immigrant population entering the healthcare system, as well as our own native-born needing more access to healthcare as they've aged. With these populations in mind, the need to continue creating and nurturing a diverse provider culture that is attuned to the complex needs of this growingly more diverse aging population is imperative.At the time of this writing, there have been 30 bills that seek to eliminate DEI from public institutions. Texas has passed Senate Bill 17 which bans diversity programs in public universities. The state of Florida teetered on effectively banning AP Psychology courses as part of the governor's “Stop W.O.K.E Act.” This is an effort to stop teachings about sexual and gender identity topics. Florida has also been in the news for school history curriculum proposals that would teach how some blacks benefitted from slavery. Just as states are eliminating once-protected aspects of reproductive rights and generating talk of reproductive bans on a Federal level, DEI is following this course. This country may methodically eliminate DEI at its peril. We must examine the effects this might have on our academic and clinical practices and our endeavor to deliver thoughtful inclusive health care to our aging population.

Large-scale modeling of hurricane flooding and disrupted infrastructure impacts on accessibility to critical facilities

Post-hurricane accessibility to critical facilities is crucial for accelerating the recovery process, which can often be disrupted by hurricane-induced flooding. The State of Florida is especially vulnerable to flooding accompanied by hurricanes, which leads to significant roadway closures and accessibility challenges that require special attention. As such, this research aims to analyze changes in accessibility to critical facilities due to Hurricane Irma-induced flooding. Accordingly, this research aims to compare the average accessibility changes to critical facilities for vulnerable populations, including older people, disabled people, and older people with a disability with the general population. To accomplish these goals, flood mapping was done by analyzing Sentinel-1 images before and after Hurricane Irma (2017) using Google Earth Engine. The accessibility change from block groups to critical facilities was analyzed using a cumulative opportunities approach in GIS, considering flooded areas as the barriers, which were later aggregated to the county level. Finally, employing the population-weighted average accessibility method, a comparison of accessibility change of vulnerable and general populations was conducted. The result shows that 1193.80 square km of areas in 43 counties of Florida, mostly in the southern portions, were affected by flooding after Hurricane Irma. Later, the accessibility changes to critical facilities considering 15-min and 30-min travel time thresholds are presented and visualized. The county-wise change in accessibility of vulnerable and general populations was also computed. The knowledge acquired from this research can improve the development of efficient and equitable post-disaster recovery plans.

Changing COVID-19 cases and deaths detection in Florida.

Epidemic data are often difficult to interpret due to inconsistent detection and reporting. As these data are critically relied upon to inform policy and epidemic projections, understanding reporting trends is similarly important. Early reporting of the COVID-19 pandemic in particular is complicated, due to changing diagnostic and testing protocols. An internal audit by the State of Florida, USA found numerous specific examples of irregularities in COVID-19 case and death reports. Using case, hospitalization, and death data from the the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Florida, we present approaches that can be used to identify the timing, direction, and magnitude of some reporting changes. Specifically, by establishing a baseline of detection probabilities from the first (spring) wave, we show that transmission trends among all age groups were similar, with the exception of the second summer wave, when younger people became infected earlier than seniors, by approximately 2 weeks. We also found a substantial drop in case-fatality risk (CFR) among all age groups over the three waves during the first year of the pandemic, with the most drastic changes seen in the 0 to 39 age group. The CFR trends provide useful insights into infection detection that would not be possible by relying on the number of tests alone. During the third wave, for which we have reliable hospitalization data, the CFR was remarkably stable across all age groups. In contrast, the hospitalization-to-case ratio varied inversely with cases while the death-to-hospitalization ratio varied proportionally. Although specific trends are likely to vary between locales, the approaches we present here offer a generic way to understand the substantial changes that occurred in the relationships among the key epidemic indicators.

The concept of «complex-structural ownership» and the timeshare institute

The scientific article examines the concept of «complex-structural ownership», which is the basis of timeshare in foreign countries in order to choose the optimal legal basis for this institute in Ukraine. It was established that the concept of «complex structural property» gradually developed in parallel with the development of timeshare itself. In the early stages of development, the consumer bought an ownership interest in the property, which allowed him to use it for a fixed week during a certain season at the resort. Gradually, even more flexible products appeared on the timeshare market, even based on a point system. It was found that the state of development of this issue does not meet the needs of the recodification of the Central Committee of Ukraine and the improvement of the legal basis of timeshare in the conditions of the development of tourism.&#x0D; Examples of the legislation of foreign countries are given, which, regulating the institution of timeshare, the conclusion of relevant contracts, also consolidate the approach to understanding the concept of «complex structural property», in particular the provisions of the Law on the Distribution of California Lands, the Law of the State of Florida «On the Vacation Plan and Timeshare», the Statute of the State of Nevada etc.&#x0D; It was found that the concept of «complex structural property» in the legislation of various US states is connected with the concept of «undivided interests». This is quite an interesting approach, which is fully relevant to the legal nature of timeshare, which essentially also assumes the presence of «undivided interests» among several consumers, and in the context of the expansion of timeshare forms, the appearance of a point system, exchanges, cruise offers, the specified approach manifests itself even more pronounced. It was found that in the Romano-Germanic states, the legal nature of timeshare is considered through the prism of obligations and property rights.&#x0D; It is substantiated that the concept of «complex-structural property» is based on the non-exhaustive list of rights of the owner, which is widespread in the Anglo-American private law doctrine. In the national doctrine of private law, more and more scientific studies are appearing, which justify that the rights of the owner are not limited to the classic triad of powers.&#x0D; It has been proven that since complex-structural ownership is possible precisely in the case of property ownership by several co-owners, it is characterized by the features of joint ownership. It is proposed to distinguish between «simple joint ownership» and «complex structural joint ownership».

Paraprofessional to Teacher: Attracting and Preparing Special Educators for a Critical Shortage

As the teacher shortage continues to sweep the country, Grow Your Own (GYO) programs designed to attract and prepare more individuals into the teaching ranks are gaining national attention, particularly those targeting special education. Assisting paraprofessionals who work with students with disabilities has long been considered as one strategy among the array of ideas to grow more teachers and retain them. The solution includes GYOs that provide paraprofessionals with tuition support to earn their degrees and teaching certificates. Yet, little is known about outcomes of programs that fund paraprofessionals to become teachers. The state of Florida funded GYO program has compiled outcome data on more than 200 paraprofessionals who received tuition support to obtain their degrees. Data support the notion that when provided with financial assistance, paraprofessionals do earn their degrees and apply for teaching certification. Retention data also indicate that they remain certified at commendable levels.