Legal Challenges For Text-Message Marketers

As text-messaging usage climbs in the United States, marketers are scrambling to find ways to integrate this new technology into the marketing communications mix.  Marketers must, however, be mindful of current U.S. Law – federal and state – which may restrict text message use.  Although no current federal law exists to specifically regulate text-message marketing, several wireless communication laws, anti-spamming laws, and case law may apply.  This paper reviews the current statistics and trends regarding usage of text-message marketing in the United States, presents “spamming” opportunities, reviews current federal law and state law by example, and makes recommendations to marketers considering use of text-message marketing

Too little, too late: reduced visual span and speed characterize pure alexia

Whether normal word reading includes a stage of visual processing selectively dedicated to word or letter recognition is highly debated. Characterizing pure alexia, a seemingly selective disorder of reading, has been central to this debate. Two main theories claim either that 1) Pure alexia is caused by damage to a reading specific brain region in the left fusiform gyrus or 2) Pure alexia results from a general visual impairment that may particularly affect simultaneous processing of multiple items. We tested these competing theories in 4 patients with pure alexia using sensitive psychophysical measures and mathematical modeling. Recognition of single letters and digits in the central visual field was impaired in all patients. Visual apprehension span was also reduced for both letters and digits in all patients. The only cortical region lesioned across all 4 patients was the left fusiform gyrus, indicating that this region subserves a function broader than letter or word identification. We suggest that a seemingly pure disorder of reading can arise due to a general reduction of visual speed and span, and explain why this has a disproportionate impact on word reading while recognition of other visual stimuli are less obviously affected

Refrigerated locker service for rural patrons

16 pages; includes photographs. This archival publication may not reflect current scientific knowledge or recommendations. Current information available from the University of Minnesota Extension: https://www.extension.umn.edu

How well do antivirals shorten genital herpes pain duration?

Q: How well do antivirals shorten genital herpes pain duration? Evidence-based answer: Oral and intravenous (IV) acyclovir each shorten the duration of pain for a first primary outbreak of herpes by about 50%; topical acyclovir shortens it by about 25% (strength of recommendation [SOR]: B, small randomized controlled trials [RCTs] with some methodological flaws). Oral valacyclovir and famcyclovir are equivalent to oral acyclovir. Adding topical acyclovir to oral acyclovir doesn't produce additional benefit (SOR: B, RCTs). Patients with severe disease may require IV acyclovir (SOR: C, expert opinion). General treatment measures that may improve patient comfort include keeping lesions clean and dry, avoiding tight clothing, taking analgesics, and using ice packs or taking warm baths (SOR: C, expert opinion). Evidence for using complementary and alternative medicine to treat genital herpes is lacking or conflicting [SOR: C, narrative review of clinical trials]

Some remarks on the visible points of a lattice

We comment on the set of visible points of a lattice and its Fourier transform, thus continuing and generalizing previous work by Schroeder and Mosseri. A closed formula in terms of Dirichlet series is obtained for the Bragg part of the Fourier transform. We compare this calculation with the outcome of an optical Fourier transform of the visible points of the 2D square lattice.Comment: 9 pages, 3 eps-figures, 1 jpeg-figure; updated version; another article (by M. Baake, R. V. Moody and P. A. B. Pleasants) with the complete solution of the spectral problem will follow soon (see math.MG/9906132

Long-Baseline Interferometric Multiplicity Survey of the Sco-Cen OB Association

We present the first multiplicity-dedicated long baseline optical interferometric survey of the Scorpius-Centaurus-Lupus-Crux association. We used the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer to undertake a survey for new companions to 58 Sco-Cen B- type stars and have detected 24 companions at separations ranging from 7-130mas, 14 of which are new detections. Furthermore, we use a Bayesian analysis and all available information in the literature to determine the multiplicity distribution of the 58 stars in our sample, showing that the companion frequency is F = 1.35 and the mass ratio distribution is best described as a power law with exponent equal to -0.46, agreeing with previous Sco-Cen high mass work and differing significantly from lower-mass stars in Tau-Aur. Based on our analysis, we estimate that among young B-type stars in moving groups, up to 23% are apparently single stars. This has strong implications for the understanding of high-mass star formation, which requires angular momentum dispersal through some mechanism such as formation of multiple systems.Comment: 7 figures, 5 tables, accepted for publication in MNRA

The influence of the frequency of directional change on the physiological responses to intermittent exercise in elite football players.

Despite the common occurrence of directional change in football, few studies have attempted to investigate the demands of players performing such movement patterns (Stevens et al., 2014; Akenhead et al., 2014; Dellal et al., 2010). The aim of the current thesis was to identify the physiological responses associated with performing directional changes in elite football players. The aim of the first study was to investigate the occurrence of directional change within an elite football team’s typical four-day training week and to determine the external load and subsequent physiological demands associated with performing such movement patterns. Five male elite football players were monitored during each session via global positioning system (GPS), accelerometry (ACC) and heart rate (HR). The data indicated that acceleration and deceleration (movements used to represent the occurrence of directional change) occurred frequently throughout each session of the training week but were found to be significantly higher for one particular training day when compared to all other remaining sessions (+22-43%) (p < 0.05). Although the external load as measured through ACC and the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) as measured through the modified Borg scale were greatest for this training day, they were not found to be significantly different when compared to all other training days. The physiological response however as indicated through HR was found to be significantly higher for this training day (+24-40%) (p < 0.05). These results would indicate that a higher cardiovascular response may be associated with training sessions that include more frequent changes in direction. Despite these findings the approach used to collect the physiological data within the study may have had several limitations. The biggest limitation was perhaps the influence of training variables other than movements relevant to directional change. There is therefore a need for an investigation which applies greater control of extraneous training variables during data collection. Such an approach would allow for a more precise interpretation regarding the physiological demands associated with performing directional changes. The aim of the second study was to investigate the external load and subsequent physiological demands of controlled intermittent protocols which included varying frequencies of 180 degree directional changes in elite football players. Thirteen male elite players were monitored via GPS, ACC and HR during protocols which involved one, three or seven change(s) in direction. In this study important extraneous variables such as the total running distance, speed of movement as well as the number and intensity of accelerations and decelerations performed were carefully controlled in an attempt to isolate and manipulate only the movement pattern. The results showed that external load as measured in gravitational force (g-force) was significantly greater for the protocol that involved seven directional changes when compared to the protocol which involved one (+32%) or three (+24%) directional changes (p < 0.05). Participants resulting HR as measured through heart rate exertion (HRE) was also significantly higher for the protocol which involved seven directional changes when compared to protocols which involved one (+54%) or three (+53%) directional changes (p < 0.05). The increase in the physiological response was further supported by a significant increase in RPE for the protocol which involved seven directional changes (5 ±1) when compared to the protocols which involved only one (3 ±0) or three (3 ±1) directional changes (p < 0.05). A positive correlation was found when comparing g-force with both HRE (r = 0.45, p < 0.01) and RPE (r = 0.63, p < 0.01). These results show that increasing the frequency of 180 degree directional changes through intermittent exercise protocols, increases the external load and physiological responses in elite football players. The current research indicates that directional change occurs frequently throughout an elite football team’s typical training week. Performing 180 degree directional changes increases the external load which may subsequently elevate the physiological and subjective responses. Careful consideration must therefore be placed on such movement patterns when designing training drills for elite football players throughout various days of the training week