Long Term Solutions to the Short-Term Problem: An Analysis of the Current Legal Issues Related to Airbnb and Similar Short-Term Rental Companies with a Proposed Model Ordinance

Airbnb and the short-term rental market have revolutionized the way that we travel and book accommodations, and now they are beginning to require cities to revolutionize their laws. This note argues that cities should adopt an ordinance that addresses health and safety, zoning, permitting, and taxation in an enforceable way by drawing on ideas already implemented in other cities such as Chicago, San Francisco, Nashville, and Portland. In support of this conclusion, this note begins in Section I by discussing the history of vacation rentals and the sharing economy as a whole, before discussing Airbnb more specifically. Section II then provides an overview of some existing problems such as zoning, registration of properties, and taxation that cities are facing with the rise of short-term rentals. This is followed by Section III, which analyzes some existing short-term rental ordinances and how cities are dealing with these specific problems. Section IV delves into some of the limited case law that involves this short-term rental market in order to demonstrate additional legal considerations. Then Section V will provide a Model Ordinance for the regulation of the short-term rental market that Section VI will further advocate for specifically

Analyzing the Management Practices of East Texas Beef Cattle Producers

A survey of East Texas beef cattle producers was designed to evaluate the management practices that were prevalent in the area. Demographic and cattle operation data from 103 respondents were analyzed using SPSS (Version 25; Chicago, IL). This electronic-based survey was distributed through Qualtrics. Respondents were located in Angelina, Nacogdoches, or Cherokee county. Most producers (38.8%) had a Bachelor’s degree. A negative correlation was established between castration method and weaning weight (p = - 0.204). Calves were weaned 50 pounds heavier when band or surgically castrated. Females were less likely to castrate their calves or utilize a mineral program. Approximately, 49.5% of producers did not pregnancy check their cattle. Areas of future education should focus on castration and weaning methods, mineral distribution, and pregnancy detection methods

The effect of a low copper diet on muskox calf immune function and health

Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2002Weight loss and ill thrift are common problems encountered in muskox calves raised in captivity. Varied diagnostic results suggest that there is immunosuppression possibly related to trace mineral intake. This experiment evaluates the influence of a single trace element, copper, on muskox calf health and development. Muskox calves consuming a diet containing 5 ppm Cu exhibited lower weight gains, reduced survivability, depleted lymphoid tissue, thinner aortic arches, more muscle wasting and an increased occurrence of diarrhea than a group consuming the same diet but receiving injectable Cu supplementation. This study demonstrates the importance of adequate copper in the diet ensuring proper growth and development of the immune system in muskox calves. Muskox calf health and ultimately survival depends upon careful management to ensure the transition from a milk-based diet to a properly balanced solid diet. This coupled with efforts to minimize exposure to pathogens and environmental bacteria will enhance survival

Prolonged Use of the Etonogestrel Implant and Levonorgestrel Intrauterine Device - Two Years Beyond FDA-Approved Duration

The subdermal contraceptive implant, and the 52mg levonorgestrel intrauterine device (IUD) are currently FDA-approved for three and five years of use respectively. Limited available data has suggested both of these methods are effective beyond that time. Demonstration of prolonged effectiveness will improve the cost-effectiveness of the device, and potentially patient continuation and satisfaction. Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of the contraceptive implant and the 52-mg hormonal intrauterine device (IUD) in women using the method for two years beyond the current FDA-approved duration. Study Design We initiated this ongoing prospective cohort study in January 2012. We are enrolling women using the contraceptive implant or 52-mg levonorgestrel IUD for a minimum of 3 and 5 years, respectively (started IUD in 2007 or later or implant in 2009 or later). Demographic and reproductive health histories, as well as objective body mass index (BMI) were collected. Implant users were offered periodic venipuncture for analysis of serum etonogestrel levels. The primary outcome, unintended pregnancy rates, was calculated per 100 woman-years. We analyzed baseline demographic characteristics using chi-square test and Fisher Exact test, and compared serum ENG levels stratified by body mass index using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results Implant users (n=291) have contributed 444.0 women-years of follow-up. There have been no documented pregnancies in implant users during the two years of post-expiration follow-up. Calculated failure rates in the fourth and fifth years for the implant are calculated as 0 (one-sided %97.5 confidence interval (CI) 0–1.48) per 100 woman years at four years and 0 (one-sided %97.5 CI 0–2.65) per 100 women years at five years. Among 496 levonorgestrel IUD users, 696.9 women-years of follow-up have been completed. Two pregnancies have been reported. The failure rate in the sixth year of use of the levonorgestrel IUD is calculated as 0.25(%95 CI 0.04–1.42) per 100 women year; failure rate during the seventh year is 0.43 (%95 CI 0.08–2.39) per 100 women years. Among implant users with serum etonogestrel results, the median etonogestrel level at the time of method expiration was 207.7 pg/mL (range 63.8–802.6 pg/mL), 166.1 pg/mL (range 67.9 25.0 – 470.5 pg/mL) at the end of the fourth year, and 153.0 pg/mL (range 72.1–538.8 pg/mL) at the end of the fifth year. Median ENG levels were compared by BMI at each time point and a statistical difference was noted at the end of four years of use with overweight women having the highest serum ENG (195.9 pg/ml: range 25.0–450.5) when compared to normal (178.9 pg/ml: range 87.0–463.7) and obese (137.9 pg/ml: range 66.0–470.5) women (p=0.04). Conclusion This study indicates that the contraceptive implant and 52-mg hormonal IUD continue to be highly effective for at least two additional years of use. Serum etonogestrel evaluation demonstrates median levels remain above the ovulation threshold of 90pg/ml for women of in all BMI classes

In vitro evaluation of the modified forwarder knot used to end a continuous suture pattern in large‐gauge suture

Objective To evaluate the strength and size of forwarder end (FE) knots modified to end continuous suture lines compared with Aberdeen (AB), square (SQ), and surgeon's (SU) knots. Study design In vitro mechanical study. Study population Knotted suture. Methods Knots were tied with 2 USP (United States Pharmacopeia) polydioxanone, 2 USP, and 3 USP polyglactin 910 and tested on a universal testing machine under linear tension. Mode of failure and knot holding capacity (KHC) were recorded, and relative knot security (RKS) was calculated. Knot volume and weight were determined by digital micrometer and balance. Knot holding capacity, RKS, size, and weight between knot type, number of throws, and suture type and size were compared by using analysis of variance testing, with P  .080). Forwarder end/AB knots failed by suture breakage at the knot, whereas some SQ/SU knots unraveled. Forwarder end knots in 2 and 3 USP polyglactin 910 were 21.1% to 44.4% (1.2‐1.4 fold) smaller compared with SQ/SU knots (P < .028). Forwarder end knots in 2 and 3 USP polyglactin 910 were 40% to 99% (1.4‐2.0 fold) larger compared with AB knots (P < .001). Conclusion Forwarder end knots provided increased KHC/RKS compared with SQ/SU knots. Clinical relevance Forwarder end knots should be considered for closures when suture is placed under tension

Hospital length of stay, do not resuscitate orders, and survival for post-cardiac arrest patients in Michigan: A study for the CARES Surveillance Group

OBJECTIVE: Current guidelines recommend deferring prognostic decisions for at least 72 h following admission after Out of Hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Most non-survivors experience withdrawal of life sustaining therapy (WLST), and early WLST may adversely impact survival. We sought to characterize the hospital length of stay (LOS) and timing of Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders (as surrogates for WLST), to assess their relationship to survival following cardiac arrest. DESIGN: We performed a retrospective cohort study of probabilistically linked cardiac arrest registries (Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES) and Michigan Inpatient Database (MIDB) from 2014 to 2017. PATIENTS: Adult (≥18 years) patients admitted following OHCA were included. We considered LOS ≤ 3 days (short LOS) and written DNR order with LOS ≤ 3 days (Early DNR) as indicators of early WLST. Our primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. We utilized multilevel logistic regression clustered by hospital to examine associations of these variables, patient characteristics and survival to hospital discharge. MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS: We included 3644 patients from 38 hospitals with \u3e30 patients. Patients mean age was 62.4 years and were predominately male (59.3%). LOS ≤ 3 days (OR(adj) = 0.11) and early DNR (OR(adj) = 0.02) were inversely associated with survival to discharge. There was a non-significant inverse association between hospital rates of LOS ≤ 3 days and survival (p = 0.11), and Early DNR and survival (p = 0.83). In the multilevel model, using median odd ratios to assess variation in LOS ≤ 3 days and survival, patient characteristics contributed more to variability in survival than between-hospital variation. However, between-hospital variation contributed more to variability than patient characteristics in the provision of early DNR orders. CONCLUSIONS: We observed that LOS ≤ 3 days for post-arrest patients was negatively-associated with survival, with both patient characteristics and between-hospital variation associated with outcomes. However, between-hospital variation appears to be more highly-associated with provision of early DNR orders than patient characteristics. Further work is needed to assess variation in early DNR orders and their impact on patient survival