Communication Law and Policy: The State of Research and Theory

This essay describes the domain of research in communication law and policy. It is based on a content analysis of research published in the journal Communication Law and Policy (1996–2004), papers presented to the Communication Law and Policy Division at annual conferences of the International Communication Association (1997–2004), as well as consideration of other resources. The most frequent areas for research were media regulation, Internet policy, and freedom of expression issues. After reviewing recent literature on the first two topics, we identified and showcased two emergent categories deserving future attention: communication and the law (particularly fair trial-free press issues) and implications of the burgeoning consolidation of media ownership.     

Lipid damage in farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) after slaughtering and chilled storage

The flow ice system including ozone (OFI condition) was tested for slaughtering and storage (up to 16 days) of farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Lipid damage analyses were carried out and compared to sensory acceptance and instrumental colour changes. Comparison to individuals processed with the flow ice system in the absence of ozone (FI condition) was undertaken. Rainbow trout slaughtered and chilled under FI and OFI conditions showed a low lipid damage development, according to lipid oxidation and hydrolysis events and lipid composition (polyunsaturated fatty acids, phospholipids and endogenous antioxidants) changes. Additionally, both icing conditions led to largely good quality and shelf life times and to the absence of changes in colour properties. It is concluded that flow ice as such, or including the presence of ozone, can be considered as ideal strategy to be employed as slaughtering and storage system during the commercialisation of the actual farmed species. The ozone presence has shown some profitable effects as leading to an extended shelf life time by quality retention of several sensory parameters; in contrast, some negligible negative effects could be observed on the secondary and tertiary lipid oxidation development. However, the oxidation values reached by individuals kept under OFI conditions cannot be considered as particularly high.     

Perceived employment barriers and their relation to workforce-entry intent among people with HIV/AIDS.

As treatments have improved health and quality of life for people with HIV/AIDS, many have contemplated workforce reentry. Workforce reentry rarely occurs among people with illness-related disability. The authors mailed a survey that included workforce-entry-related concerns to 1,991 HIV/AIDS clients. Factor analysis extracted 6 areas of concern (benefits loss, work-related health, job skills, discrimination, personal health care, workplace accommodation). Levels of concern generally increased with HIV acuity level and time since last worked. Work-related health concerns predicted consideration of workforce entry, and work-related health concerns and benefits-loss concerns predicted estimated time to return to work. Findings provide quantitative validation of intuitive categories of workforce-entry concerns among people with HIV/AIDS and suggest that concerns may shift with progress toward workforce entry. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A longitudinal study of green-liver osteomyelitis complex in commercial turkeys

Two flocks of Nicholas tom turkeys from separate farms with histories of above-average condemnations for turkey green-liver osteomyelitis complex (TOC) were studied throughout a 16-week growout. Fifty birds from each farm were necropsied each week for 15 weeks, and birds that had green livers, osteomyelitis in the proximal tibia, or swollen joints were cultured for aerobic bacteria along with an equal number of control birds. At processing, TOC lesions and green livers were obtained for bacterial culture and histopathology. Green-liver-associated TOC was not observed until the turkeys were 9 or 10 weeks of age. The incidence of TOC was higher on one farm, which also had a higher incidence of airsacculitis, higher early and weekly mortality, seroconversion to Newcastle disease virus and Mycoplasma meleagridis, and significantly higher average body weights, relative spleen weights, and relative liver weights. Both farms had a high incidence of intestinal lesions and infestation with Ascaridia dissimilis. Histological evaluation of green livers revealed hyperplasia of bile ducts, dilation of sinusoids, and pigment-containing Kupffer's cells, some of which stained positive for iron. The bacterial isolates most frequently cultured from bones and livers were pleomorphic gram-variable coccobacilli, which grew visible colonies only after a series of subcultures and extended incubation.     

Prostitution and AIDS in the city of Mexico

Since 1987 The National AIDS Council in Mexico (CONASIDA), has conducted research projects among female commercial sex workers (CSW), who are seen at the AIDS Information Centers. Through these studies, we have been able to find out how different issues influence commercial sex work in Mexico City. Since the beginning of our own studies in 1989, HIV prevalence in this particular group has remained low (0.04%-0.2%). Factors found to be associated with condom use were: educational level, not having children, more experience in sex work and younger age. Condom use was reported by 88% of the women; however, qualitative information and high STD prevalence rates suggest a much lower condom use. Mandatory HIV testing is not useful as a preventive measure among sex workers. Persuasive and structural interventions must be implemented in accordance with local and legal situations.     

Varying Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating on the Levitated Dipole Experiment

Plasmas in the Levitated Dipole Experiment (LDX) are formed and sustained currently via two electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) sources: 2.5 kW at 2.45 GHz and 2.5 kW at 6.4 GHz. An important topic being investigated is how varying the ECRH affects the confinement and stability of the plasma. We report the results of using different operational combinations of our RF sources, such as varying the power composition, changing the power levels, and sequencing of the onset time.     

Correlation between esophageal motility and 24-hour pH recording in patients with gastroesophageal reflux

The relationship between manometric and pH-metric data was studied in a group of 50 patients with symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux. Using a multiple regression analysis, we found that the total percentage of reflux was significantly correlated to the infradiaphragmatic length and resting pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter and also to the mean amplitude of the contractile waves of the distal esophagus, thus revealing the important role of these factors in the antireflux mechanism. When the patients were divided into groups according to their manometric characteristics and the values of the various pH-metric parameters between these groups compared using a one-way analysis of variance, we found that the amplitude of the contractile waves and the percentage of deglutitions without response were related not only to the total percentage of reflux but also to the number of reflux episodes of greater than 5 min duration and to the duration of the longest episode. This shows that prolonged exposure of the esophageal mucosa to the refluxed material may be due, in part, to an alteration in the capacity for esophageal clearing.     

Distribution of alpha 1A, alpha 1B and alpha 1E voltage-dependent calcium channel subunits in the human hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus

The distribution of voltage-dependent calcium channel subunits in the central nervous system may provide information about the function of these channels. The present study examined the distribution of three alpha-1 subunits, alpha 1A, alpha 1B and alpha 1E, in the normal human hippocampal formation and parahippocampal gyrus using the techniques of in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry. All three subunit mRNAs appeared to be similarly localized, with high levels of expression in the dentate granule and CA pyramidal layer. At the protein level, alpha 1A, alpha 1B and alpha 1E subunits were differentially localized. In general, alpha 1A-immunoreactivity was most intense in cell bodies and dendritic processes, including dentate granule cells, CA3 pyramidal cells and entorhinal cortex pre-alpha and pri-alpha cells. The alpha 1B antibody exhibited relatively weak staining of cell bodies but stronger staining of neuropil, especially in certain regions of high synaptic density such as the polymorphic layer of the dentate gyrus and the stratum lucidum and radiatum of the CA regions. The alpha 1E staining pattern shared features in common with both alpha 1A and alpha 1B, with strong immunoreactivity in dentate granule, CA3 pyramidal and entorhinal cortex pri-alpha cells, as well as staining of the CA3 stratum lucidum. These findings suggest regions in which particular subunits may be involved in synaptic communication. For example, comparison of alpha 1B and alpha 1E staining in the CA3 stratum lucidum with calbindin-immuno-reactivity suggested that these two calcium channels subunits may be localized presynaptically in mossy fibre terminals and therefore may be involved in neurotransmitter release from these terminals.