Recent Developments in Private Enforcement of the CAN-SPAM Act

This note discusses recent developments in the area of private enforcement of the federal CAN-SPAM Act. The article is divided into four sections. The first section describes the history and background of the spam problem, while the second outlines historical attempts to combat spam, culminating in the passage of the CAN-SPAM Act. The third section details a series of recent cases in which private entities have attempted to enforce the CAN-SPAM Act, and how courts have attempted to fashion a broader standard for the Act\u27s private standing provision without opening the door to an excessive number of lawsuits. The final section discusses whether the courts got the balance right and makes recommendations for the future of private enforcement in this area

Geoarchaeological Approaches to Pictish Settlement Sites: Assessing Heritage at Risk

Due to the poor preservation of Pictish period buildings and the occupation deposits within them, very little is known of daily life in early medieval Scotland. In lowland and coastal areas, Pictish buildings are generally truncated by deep ploughing, coastal erosion, or urban development, while those uncovered in upland areas seem to have no preserved floor deposits for reasons that remain poorly understood. Geoarchaeological techniques are particularly effective in clarifying site formation processes and understanding post-depositional transformations. They are also a powerful research tool for identifying floor deposits, distinguishing their composition, and linking this to daily activities. However, archaeologists are often reluctant to apply geoarchaeological methods if they suspect preservation is poor or stratigraphy is not visible in the field. This study therefore employs an innovative suite of geoarchaeological techniques to evaluate the preservation of Pictish period buildings and the potential that fragmentary buildings have to reconstruct daily life in early medieval Scotland. Alongside literature analysis and a desk-based comparison with national soil datasets, over 400 sediment samples from three key settlement sites were subjected to integrated soil micromorphology, x-ray fluorescence, magnetic susceptibility, loss-on-ignition, pH, electrical conductivity and microrefuse analysis. The combined data were successful in generating new information about the depositional and post-depositional history of the sites, preservation conditions of the occupation deposits, and activity areas within domestic dwellings. Most significantly, the integrated approach demonstrated that ephemeral and fragmented occupation surfaces retain surviving characteristics of the use of space, even if floors are not preserved well enough to be clearly defined in the field or in thin-section. A partnership with Historic Environment Scotland has channelled this work into research-led guidelines aimed at communicating geoarchaeological methods and principles to a wider audience

Fit for purpose? The appropriate education of health professionals in South Africa

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Recruitment patterns and post-metamorphic attachment by the solitary ascidian, Ciona intestinalis (Linnaeus, 1767) in an invading population from Placentia Bay Newfoundland and Labrador

Ciona intestinalis (Linneaus, 1767) is a non-indigenous species discovered in Newfoundland (NL) in 2012. It is a bio-fouler with potential to cause environmental distress and economic strain for the aquaculture industry. Key in management of this species is site-specific knowledge of life history and ecology. This study defines the environmental tolerances, recruitment patterns, habitat preferences, and attachment behaviours of C. intestinalis in Newfoundland. Over two years of field work, settlement plates and surveys were used to determine recruitment patterns, which were correlated with environmental data. The recruitment season extended from mid June to late November. Laboratory experiments defined the growth rate and attachment behaviours of Ciona intestinalis. I found mean growth rates of 10.8% length·d⁻¹. The ability for C. intestinalis to undergo metamorphosis before substrate attachment, forming a feeding planktonic juvenile, thus increasing dispersal time was also found. These planktonic juveniles were then able to attach to available substrates post-metamorphosis

The role of geoarchaeology in the interpretation of fragmented buildings and occupation surfaces: The case of coastal settlements in northeast Scotland

Around the world, poorly preserved buildings and occupation deposits often represent the primary evidence for archaeological structures and settlements. Integrated geoarchaeological methods, such as soil chemistry and micromorphology, can be used to maximise the information obtained from such deposits regarding site preservation and the use of space. However, archaeologists are often reluctant to apply these methods if they suspect that preservation is poor or stratigraphy is not visible in the field. To assess the role that geoarchaeology can play in the interpretation of fragmented and poorly preserved structures, this paper presents the results of two case studies in which multiple geoarchaeological methods (microrefuse analysis, pH, electrical conductivity, magnetic susceptibility, loss‐on‐ignition, portable XRF and micromorphology) were applied to poorly preserved occupation deposits and fragmented buildings in early medieval coastal settlements in northeast Scotland. Micromorphology proved to be fundamental for recognising and understanding the composition of occupation deposits that had formerly been floor surfaces. It also aided interpretations for the use of space and maintenance practices and improved an understanding of the post‐depositional processes that had affected stratigraphic visibility at the macroscale. When subjected to principal component analysis, the geochemical, magnetic and microrefuse data were able to provide new details about activity areas, and successfully identified and filtered out the effects of post‐medieval contamination. Most significantly, the integrated approach demonstrates that fragmented buildings and poorly preserved occupation surfaces can retain surviving characteristics of the use of space, even if the floor surfaces were not preserved well enough to be clearly defined in the field or in thin section

Basic Needs Insecurity at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: A #RealCollege HBCU Report

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) were established primarily in the post-Civil War era to meet the educational needs of Black Americans. They provide pathways to upward social mobility and have a long-standing commitment to promoting both academic success and students' health and well-being. But persistent funding inequities at both the state and federal levels actively undermine those commitments and leave the sector particularly vulnerable during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.This report, a collaboration between The Hope Center and the Center for the Study of HBCUs, uses data from the #RealCollege Survey to examine the overlapping challenges affecting students attending HBCUs during fall 2020. In total, nearly 5,000 students from 14 public and private four-year HBCUs responded to the survey.Topics covered include:Impacts of the pandemic on students' health and employmentStudents' basic needs securityUtilization of public and campus supports, including emergency aid and SNAPRecommendations for federal and state policymaker

Catchment-scale assessments of the effects of abandoned metal mines on groundwater quality and stream ecology

This paper presents an overview of a British Geological Survey catchment-scale research project designed to quantify catchment-derived metal loading on surface water quality. This work is focused on the Rookhope Burn, a tributary of the River Wear in the North Pennines, UK. The river has been identified in the Water Framework Directive (WFD) River Basin Management report as being at risk of failing to achieve Good Status due to mines and minewater pressures. Although geologically relatively simple, the catchment is hydrogeologically complex in that it comprises an area of entrenched karst, characterised by Lower Carboniferous Limestone exposed in the base of valleys overlain by Namurian strata, comprising interbedded shales, sandstones and limestones, which are capped by drained blanket peat. Metal loadings in this catchment result from lead and zinc mineralization and its historic exploitation and processing, which have resulted in both point source and diffuse impacts within the catchment. There have been three main phases of research: (i) collection of hydrological and water chemistry data to enable loading and mass balance calculations to be undertaken; (ii) development of a conceptual understanding of the hydrology and hydrogeology of the catchment, and (iii) application of the hydrological understanding to more recent baseline monitoring of ecological impacts. This work has identified previously unreported mine and groundwater contributions to the catchment, which may have significant implications for the design of remedial measures in the catchment

Effectiveness of the YourCall™ text message intervention to reduce harmful drinking in patients discharged from trauma wards: protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background Behavioural brief interventions (BI) can support people to reduce harmful drinking but multiple barriers impede the delivery and equitable access to these. To address this challenge, we developed YourCall™, a novel short message service (SMS) text message intervention incorporating BI principles. This protocol describes a trial evaluating the effectiveness of YourCall™ (compared to usual care) in reducing hazardous drinking and alcohol related harm among injured adults who received in-patient care. Methods/design Participants recruited to this single-blind randomised controlled trial comprised patients aged 16-69 years in three trauma-admitting hospitals in Auckland, New Zealand. Those who screened positive for moderately hazardous drinking were randomly assigned by computer to usual care (control group) or the intervention. The latter comprised 16 informational and motivational text messages delivered using an automated system over the four weeks following discharge. The primary outcome is the difference in mean AUDIT-C score between the intervention and control groups at 3 months, with the maintenance of the effect examined at 6 and 12 months follow-up. Secondary outcomes comprised the health and social impacts of heavy drinking ascertained through a web-survey at 12 months, and further injuries identified through probabilistic linkage to national databases on accident insurance, hospital discharges, and mortality. Research staff evaluating outcomes were blinded to allocation. Intention-to-treat analyses will include assessment of interactions based on ethnicity (Māori compared with non-Māori). Discussion If found to be effective, this mobile health strategy has the potential to overcome current barriers to implementing equitably accessible interventions that can reduce harmful drinking. Trial registration Universal Trial Number (UTN) U1111-1134-0028. ACTRN12612001220853. Submitted 8 November 2012 (date of enrolment of first participant); Version 1 registration confirmed 19 November 2012. Retrospectively registered

Black Women’s Recommendations for Developing Effective Type 2 Diabetes Programming

The purpose of this study was to learn from 29 Black women how to develop effective Type 2 diabetes programming. Three focus groups were held in Des Moines, Iowa, during fall 2012. Results highlighted themes related to diabetes knowledge, diabetes management and prevention, physical activity, diet, and diabetes management programming. Opinions were shared as to whether family members should be included in programs for supporting those diagnosed with diabetes. These results provided guidance and ideas to scholars and health care professionals aiming to improve effectiveness of diabetes programs for Black women and families

How Does a Photocatalytic Antimicrobial Coating Affect Environmental Bioburden in Hospitals?

BACKGROUND The healthcare environment is recognized as a source for healthcare-acquired infection. Because cleaning practices are often erratic and always intermittent, we hypothesize that continuously antimicrobial surfaces offer superior control of surface bioburden. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of a photocatalytic antimicrobial coating at near-patient, high-touch sites in a hospital ward. SETTING The study took place in 2 acute-care wards in a large acute-care hospital. METHODS A titanium dioxide-based photocatalytic coating was sprayed onto 6 surfaces in a 4-bed bay in a ward and compared under normal illumination against the same surfaces in an untreated ward: right and left bed rails, bed control, bedside locker, overbed table, and bed footboard. Using standardized methods, the overall microbial burden and presence of an indicator pathogen (Staphylococcus aureus) were assessed biweekly for 12 weeks. RESULTS Treated surfaces demonstrated significantly lower microbial burden than control sites, and the difference increased between treated and untreated surfaces during the study. Hygiene failures (>2.5 colony-forming units [CFU]/cm2) increased 2.6% per day for control surfaces (odds ratio [OR], 1.026; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.009-1.043; P=.003) but declined 2.5% per day for treated surfaces (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.925-0.977;