Paying the Price for Sports TV: Preventing the Strategic Misuse of the FCC\u27s Carriage Regulations

Cable companies and sports leagues have embarked upon parallel courses of vertical integration by creating and acquiring interests in cable sports networks. Cable companies carry regional sports networks (RSNs) on basic cable tiers. Some league-owned networks have sought high prices for carriage on basic tiers, causing some cable companies to balk because of the price increase they would have to pass on to consumers. The 1992 Cable Act prohibits cable companies from discriminating in carriage terms between affiliated and nonaffiliated networks. Cable companies that own RSNs are, therefore, left vulnerable to discrimination complaints by league-owned networks. This Note argues that the leverage given to league-owned networks by the FCC\u27s carriage regulations is contrary to the public interest and is due to an unreasonable interpretation of the 1992 Cable Act. Further, it suggests a variety of responses available to policymakers that have the potential to curtail increases in the price of cable due to the proliferation of cable sports networks

Standing OUT/Fitting IN: Identity, Appearance, and Authenticity in Gay and Lesbian Communities

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/89575/1/si.2010.33.2.213.pd

A Resonant Photoacoustic CO2 Sensor Based on MID-IR LED and MEMS Microphone Technology Operating at 4.3μm

This paper presents work on the development of a MID-IR LED-based photoacoustic (PA) Carbon dioxide (  sensor. The transducer used is a MEMS microphone and the sensor was operated in the resonant mode, which makes it the first time that this light source and transducer combination are used in this mode for PA gas sensing, as far as the authors know. Optimisation of the sensor’s operation in the resonant mode was done using COMSOL Multiphysics to simulate the fundamental resonance frequency of the PA cell and the optimum position for the microphone. The COMSOL Multiphysics and analytical results computed were validated experimentally. Reduction of the inlet and outlet pipes diameter immensely minimized gas flow noise introduced into the PA cell. Cheaper, miniaturised and stand-alone PA sensors can be produced from Mid-IR LEDs and MEMS microphones because they are small in size, inexpensive and consume less power. The importance of this work largely lies in the fact that the huge market demand for this type of sensors could be met by higher volume production at low cost using this technology. Ultimately the work will be an effective contribution to the monitoring and control of carbon emission. Keywords: Photoacoustic, Mid-IR LED, MEMS microphone, resonance, COMSO

ECU professors research effects of BP oil spill in Gulf of Mexico and beyond

The BP oil spill, also known as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, has riveted the attention of the public since an explosion April 20 aboard an offshore oil rig caused crude oil to begin to leak into the Gulf of Mexico. Now, East Carolina University professors are participating in various research projects that may help determine some of the effects of this catastrophic event

Biological controls to manage Acropora-eating flatworms in coral aquaculture

Coral aquaculture is expanding to supply the marine ornamental trade and active coral reef restoration. A common pest of Acropora corals is the Acropora-eating flatworm Prosthiostomum acroporae, which can cause colonial mortality at high infestation densities on Acropora spp. We investigated the potential of 2 biological control organisms in marine aquaria for the control of P. acroporae infestations. A. millepora fragments infested with adult polyclad flatworms (5 flatworms fragment(-1)) or single egg clusters laid on Acropora skeleton were cohabited with either sixline wrasse Pseudocheilinus hexataenia or the peppermint shrimp Lysmata vittata and compared to a control (i.e. no predator) to assess their ability to consume P. acroporae at different life stages over 24 h. P. hexataenia consumed 100% of adult flatworms from A. millepora fragments (n = 9; 5 flatworms fragment(-1)), while L. vittata consumed 82.0 +/- 26.36% of adult flatworms (mean +/- SD; n= 20). Pseudocheilinus hexataenia did not consume any Prosthiostomum acroporae egg capsules, while L. vittata consumed 63.67 +/- 43.48% (n = 20) of egg capsules on the Acropora skeletons. Mean handling losses in controls were 5.83% (shrimp system) and 3.50% (fish system) of flatworms and 2.39% (fish system) and 3.50% (shrimp system) of egg capsules. Encounters between L. vittata and P. hexataenia result in predation of P. acroporae on an Acropora coral host and represent viable biological controls for reducing infestations of P. acroporae in aquaculture systems

Miniaturised infrared spectrophotometer for low power consumption multi-gas sensing

Concept, design and practical implementation of a miniaturized spectrophotometer, utilized as a mid-infrared-based multi gas sensor is described. The sensor covers an infrared absorption wavelength range of 2.9 to 4.8 um, providing detection capabilities for carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, sulphur dioxide, ammonia and methane. A lead selenide photo-detector array and customized MEMS-based micro-hotplate are used as the detector and broadband infrared source, respectively. The spectrophotometer optics are based on an injection moulded Schwarzschild configuration incorporating optical pass band filters for the spectral discrimination. This work explores the effects of using both fixed-line pass band and linear variable optical filters. We report the effectiveness of this low-power-consumption miniaturized spectrophotometer as a stand-alone single and multi-gas sensor, usage of a distinct reference channel during gas measurements, development of ideal optical filters and spectral control of the source and detector. Results also demonstrate the use of short-time pulsed inputs as an effective and efficient way of operating the sensor in a low-power-consumption mode. We describe performance of the spectrometer as a multi-gas sensor, optimizing individual component performances, power consumption, temperature sensitivity and gas properties using modelling and customized experimental procedures