Media Agents Research Articles

Development of Resorbable Phosphate-Based Glass Microspheres as MRI Contrast Media Agents.

In this research, resorbable phosphate-based glass (PBG) compositions were developed using varying modifier oxides including iron (Fe2O3), copper (CuO), and manganese (MnO2), and then processed via a rapid single-stage flame spheroidisation process to manufacture dense (i.e., solid) and highly porous microspheres. Solid (63-200 µm) and porous (100-200 µm) microspheres were produced and characterised via SEM, XRD, and EDX to investigate their surface topography, structural properties, and elemental distribution. Complementary NMR investigations revealed the formation of Q2, Q1, and Q0 phosphate species within the porous and solid microspheres, and degradation studies performed to evaluate mass loss, particle size, and pH changes over 28 days showed no significant differences among the microspheres (63-71 µm) investigated. The microspheres produced were then investigated using clinical (1.5 T) and preclinical (7 T) MRI systems to determine the R1 and R2 relaxation rates. Among the compositions investigated, manganese-based porous and solid microspheres revealed enhanced levels of R2 (9.7-10.5 s-1 for 1.5 T; 17.1-18.9 s-1 for 7 T) and R1 (3.4-3.9 s-1 for 1.5 T; 2.2-2.3 s-1 for 7 T) when compared to the copper and iron-based microsphere samples. This was suggested to be due to paramagnetic ions present in the Mn-based microspheres. It is also suggested that the porosity in the resorbable PBG porous microspheres could be further explored for loading with drugs or other biologics. This would further advance these materials as MRI theranostic agents and generate new opportunities for MRI contrast-enhancement oral-delivery applications.

Agent-based modelling of polarized news and opinion dynamics in social networks: a guidance-oriented approach

Abstract In the contemporary social network landscape, opinion polarization has emerged as a prominent challenge, sparking concerns about the effective guidance of news sentiment and mitigation of opposing opinions. This is particularly pertinent in the intricate web of social networks, where complexity reigns supreme. Addressing this pivotal issue, this article introduces a news opinion guidance approach grounded in motif recognition. To accurately mirror real-world social networks, we have crafted an agent-based model that simulates polarized news propagation. This model encompasses diverse media agents and user agents, meticulously replicating the news dissemination process within the network. In our quest to unveil the underlying structures of social networks, we have enhanced the Augmented Multiresolution Network approach, incorporating multi-dimensional node attributes for more nuanced clustering and network mapping. This refinement enables us to pinpoint potential motif regions with greater precision. Leveraging these insights, we introduce a triangular motif-based opinion guidance strategy aimed at shaping opinion distribution by bolstering the influence of nodes within these motifs. Once the pertinent motifs are identified, we undertake simulation experiments that reveal the remarkable efficacy of our motif recognition-driven guidance strategy. Notably, it reduces opinion polarization by a substantial 74% compared to scenarios without guidance strategies. This research offers a fresh perspective on crafting personalized and targeted news sentiment guidance strategies. It presents a versatile and potent computational framework for understanding and managing polarization phenomena in social networks, carrying profound theoretical and practical ramifications.

In-silico mechanistic analysis of adsorption of Iodinated Contrast Media agents on graphene surface

The study aims at assessing the potential of graphene-based adsorbents to reduce environmental impacts of Iodinated Contrast Media Agents (ICMs). We analyze an extensive collection of ICMs. A modeling approach resting on molecular docking and Density Functional Theory simulations is employed to examine the adsorption process at the molecular level. The study also relies on a Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) modeling framework to correlate molecular properties with the adsorption energy (Ead) of ICMs, thus enabling identification of the key mechanisms underpinning adsorption and of the key factors contributing to it. A collection of distinct QSAR-based models is developed upon relying on Multiple Linear Regression and a standard genetic algorithm method. Having at our disposal multiple models enables us to take into account the uncertainty associated with model formulation. Maximum Likelihood and formal model identification/discrimination criteria (such as Bayesian and/or information theoretic criteria) are then employed to complement the traditional QSAR modeling phase. This has the advantage of (a) providing a rigorous ranking of the alternative models included in the selected set and (b) quantifying the relative degree of likelihood of each of these models through a weight or posterior probability. The resulting workflow of analysis enables one to seamlessly embed DFT and QSAR studies within a theoretical framework of analysis that explicitly takes into account model and parameter uncertainty. Our results suggest that graphene-based surfaces constitute a promising adsorbent for ICMs removal, π-π stacking being the primary mechanism behind ICM adsorption. Furthermore, our findings offer valuable insights into the potential of graphene-based adsorbent materials for effectively removing ICMs from water systems. They contribute to ascertain the significance of various factors (such as, e.g., the distribution of atomic van der Waals volumes, overall molecular complexity, the presence and arrangement of Iodine atoms, and the presence of polar functional groups) on the adsorption process.

Language, Power, and the Media in the Portrayal of Wartime Sexual Violence

Sexual violence has increasingly been recognised – and framed – as a war crime. This essay seeks to unpack the normative and epistemological elements of this discourse. The literature is dominated by peacetime studies of gender and language which fail to analyse elements of shock and labels in the construction of the actors at play. This paper seeks to understand how language, power and media work together to infantilize women and create an implicit dichotomy of victims and survivors. Drawing on critical feminist and post-structural theories, it is argued that media agents play a significant role in shaping perception and defining policy on wartime rape, through language patterns and themes. It is concluded that the language employed by news articles contributes to the gendered socialization of wartime rape. The argument is illustrated by a critical discourse analysis (CDA) of two news channels, Al Jazeera and Fox News, which seeks to identify the common discursive themes and demonstrates that the rhetoric employed is self-perpetuating and is conducive to gendered assumptions and shortcomings.

Бактериостатический и бактерицидный эффекты органо-неорганического гибридного материала йодид меди-полипиррол

The organic-inorganic hybrid material (OIH) copper iodide-polypyrrol (CuI-PPy), obtained by a one-pot method in aqueous mixed solutions of precursors, was used as a bacteriostatic and bactericidal media agent on Escherichia coli BB culture in an aqueous nutrient medium. The addition of OIH material (1 mg/ml) into culture media suppressed the growth of E. coli for 60 hours, after which the efficiency of bacteriostatic action was more than 80%. The use of CuI-PPy as an additive to the paint coating leads to the death of bacteria after 1 hour of contact of the bacterial cells solution with glass plates coated with modified CuI-PPy paint coatings. After 12 hours of contact, the bactericidal effect of the CuI-PPy modified film remains unchanged. The advantages of using CuI-PPy material in comparison with CuI are discussed.

News for nature: Communicating biodiversity importance and conservation challenges in Guinea‐Bissau, West Africa, through local media and online platforms

AbstractGuinea‐Bissau, an important regional biodiversity hotspot in West Africa, faces the challenge of raising awareness among the general public about the significance of natural resources for rural communities' survival and the need for biodiversity conservation. This knowledge gap hinders conservation efforts as initiatives are deemed irrelevant or unnecessary. A climate of political vulnerability, financial uncertainty and threats to media freedom are further obstacles to conservation biology. Researchers lack established communication platforms for academic dissemination. In this paper, we introduce the initiative News for Nature/PRIMACTION (2020–2022), which aimed to establish a communication channel between researchers and media agents. The project had two primary objectives: firstly, to raise awareness among the Guinea‐Bissau society about the importance of national biodiversity and conservation challenges; and secondly, to enhance the capacity of specific communicators and opinion makers. The project had several important outputs, including: i) a bi‐monthly newspaper section focused on “biodiversity conservation in Guinea‐Bissau”, ii) three radio‐theatre episodes performed by a well‐known group and broadcasted nationally, iii) one song composed and sung by famous musicians, with an introduction by Jane Goodall, and iv) a website providing technical resources for journalists covering biodiversity and conservation news. Collaborators mentioned the lack of logistical conditions for traveling in the country as a major impediment in reporting conservation‐related news. We emphasize the significance of establishing direct contact and articulation between researchers and local media to promote conservation research in West African countries. In countries where science communication and environmental education outreach are not well‐established, it is crucial to bridge the challenges faced by the communities in different regions of the same country. This is especially urgent in cases where such challenges are significant.

Toward decentralized wastewater treatment: A flow-through module using microtubular gas diffusion electrodes for micropollutants removal

Electro-Fenton (EF) represents an eco-friendly and cost-effective advanced oxidation process that can remove highly persistent and hazardous pharmaceuticals, e.g., contrast media agents, from water bodies. However, up to date, EF modules incorporate a planar carbonaceous gas diffusion electrode (GDE) cathode containing fluorinated compounds as polymeric binders. Here, we introduce a novel flow-through module that deploys freestanding carbon microtubes (CMT) as microtubular GDEs, omitting any risks of secondary pollution by highly-persistent fluorinated compounds (e.g., Nafion). The flow-through module was characterized for electrochemical hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generation and micropollutant removal via EF. H2O2 electro-generation experiments illustrated high production rates (1.1 ± 0.1–2.7 ± 0.1 mg cm−2 h−1) at an applied cathodic potential of − 0.6 V vs. SHE, depending on the porosity of CMTs. Diatrizoate (DTZ), as the model pollutant, with a high initial concentration of 100 mg L−1 was successfully oxidized (95–100 %), reaching mineralization (TOC—total organic carbon removal) efficiencies up to 69 %. Additionally, Electro-adsorption experiments demonstrated the capability of positively charged CMTs to remove negatively charged DTZ with a capacity of 11 mg g−1 from a 10 mg L−1 DTZ solution. These results reveal the potential of the as-designed module to serve as an oxidation unit coupled with other separation techniques, e.g., electro-adsorption or membrane processes.

Analisis Peran Media Sosial Sebagai Media Promosi Agen Dalam Meningkatkan Pemahaman Berasuransi Syariah

This aims study to determine the role of social media as a promotional media agent in increasing understanding of sharia insurance with a case study on family takaful agents in Medan city. This study uses a qualitative method that is descriptive. Then the data collection techniques in this study used interviews, observations (observations) and questionnaires with the Likert scale method with a total of 12 customer respondents who commented on social media agents who were informants in this study. The results of this study indicate that utilizing the role of social media as a promotional medium helps agents to increase understanding of sharia insurance, especially for customers. In fact, based on the results of interviews, Medan city family takaful agents argued that social media not only helps in promotion to increase understanding of sharia insurance, but can also generate new customers. Then to be able to measure the understanding of sharia insurance for family takaful customers it is measured through a questionnaire with four indicators, namely first, consumer knowledge with the results of very understanding criteria of 58.3%, understanding criteria of 33.3% and criteria of sufficient understanding of 8.3%. Second, previous or past experience with the results of very understanding criteria of 58.3%, 33.3% understanding criteria and 8.3% sufficiently understanding criteria. Then the third is information in the category of sufficient understanding of 100%. And fourth, social/environmental with sufficient understanding criteria of 100%.
 Keywords: Social Media, Promotion, Agent, Family Takaful

Renal Benefits of CO2 as a Contrast Media for EVAR Procedures: New Perspectives on 1 Year Outcomes

Background and Objectives: Endovascular aneurism repair (EVAR) is a minimally invasive alternative to open surgery for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm. Iodine contrast medium (ICM) is considered the gold standard, at the high price of related nephrotoxicity and allergic reactions. Carbon dioxide (CO2) has been suggested as an alternative non-nephrotoxic contrast media agent. We aimed to evaluate the safety and the renal impact of the administration of CO2, compared with ICM in EVAR procedures. Design, Setting, Participants, and Measurements: We retrospectively reviewed data of patients who underwent EVAR at the Vascular Surgery Department of the Sant’Orsola Hospital in Bologna. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was evaluated before intervention, immediately after and at 12 months. Results: In total, 22 patients received CO2 and low-dose ICM (CO2 Group) and 22 received standard ICM (Control Group), matched for clinical characteristics and renal function at the time of procedure. Pre and post-operative renal function values (eGFR) were compared between the two groups: in the immediate post-operative the group treated with CO2 and low-dose ICM globally showed a slight improvement in renal function (mean eGFR +5.10%±3.2), meanwhile the group treated with standard dose of ICM presented a significant worsening of renal function compared with pre-procedure values (mean eGFR −9.65%±4). Incidence of post-contrast acute kidney injury (PC-AKI) was 9% in the CO2 group vs 27% in the Control group. At 12 months, the renal impairment was significantly greater in the ICM group than in the CO2 group (mean eGFR decrease −19.2%±11.1 and −7.40%±3.5, respectively). Conclusions: Administration of either CO2 alone or along with low-dose ICM showed to be safer than full-dose ICM alone, lowering the incidence of PC-AKI in patients undergoing EVAR. Unexpectedly, our study revealed also a significant worsening of renal function in patients treated with standard dose of ICM in 1-year follow-up, introducing the concept that acute renal damage caused by ICM could elicit a chronic injury process that affect long-term renal outcomes. Clinical Impact Evaluating the safety and the renal impact of the administration of CO2, compared to Iodinate Contrast Medium, in EVAR procedures represents a first step in order to further tayloring medical procedures on patients characteristics. Our findings can guide the clinicians and surgeons in the procedures choice, not considering only the immediate effect of ICM on renal function but also the potential long-term effects.

Is Marketing a Victim of its Own Success? A Restoration Process to Unlock Marketing's Power for Creativity, Competitiveness, and Well-Being

Marketing is perceived as both a solution and a problem, depending on one's perspective, the context, and the source of the narrative. For instance, media agents portray marketing at its worst: as a superficial and manipulative practice designed to dupe consumers; or at its best as a “trick” instead of a process that requires cutting-edge knowledge and analytical, strategic, and creative skills. In this essay, I examine the image of marketing among various market actors (i.e., digital players, influencers, media agents) as well as academics. The goal is to understand both the rising interest and skepticism towards marketing as an organizational activity and a scientific discipline. The objective is to restore the poor image of marketing by shifting the focus towards a more comprehensive understanding of what is inside the “black box” of marketing. I then propose a restoration process through legitimization and diffusion involving both marketing academics and marketplace agents. The goal is to help restore the image of marketing and unveil its power as a major force for positive social change, creativity, competitiveness, and well-being.

Opinion Dynamics in Gossiper-Media Networks Based on Multiagent Reinforcement Learning

In social networks, to increase the number of followers, media express their opinions through posts, articles, and published content to cater to public preferences. Meanwhile, the evolution of public opinions is affected by both the media and peers. In this work, we investigate how the interactions between media affect the dynamics of public opinions in social networks. We propose a reinforcement learning framework to model the interactions between the public (gossipers) and media agents. We model each gossiper as an individually rational agent, which updates its opinion using the bounded confidence model (BCM). Media agents are interested in maximizing the number of following gossipers competitively, and an algorithm, <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">i.e</i> ., WoLS-CALA, is proposed to achieve that goal. We analyze and experimentally verify that WoLS-CALA can learn Nash equilibria (NE) for games with continuous action space. In addition, the opinion dynamics of gossipers are theoretically analyzed, which shows that the existence of media will strengthen the consistency of gossipers' opinions. We then evaluate the framework in two synthetic networks, <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">i.e</i> ., a fully connected network and a small-world network, and one real data network from Facebook. Extensive empirical simulation reveals that our framework facilitates the consensus of opinions and confirms the theoretical analysis.

Semantic structure of clickbait headlines and internet user activities

The article explores the relation between clickability, measured in click-through rate (CTR) with the system of meanings the headline comprises. The authors apply graphic-semantic approach when analyzing headlines with reference to their variable clickability. The article describes a case reconstructing the system of meanings, represented by the news headlines in Russian cyberspace, taking into consideration the CTR as a popularity factor among the readers. The material of the study is 4900 headlines of Russian news media for May 2019, provided by the news aggregator SMI2. The authors consider clickbait headline as a standalone text, communicating information, related to the material they headline only indirectly. Based on these basic constituent features of the clickbait titles the researches revealed frequency distribution of semantic fields, representing the most popular meanings, communicated in the headlines to the news content in Russian mass media. Besides, having analyzed CTR values growth/decrease, the authors defined the most and the least popular semantic fields, indicating the most promising vectors for further development of the media space. The system of meanings transmitting concepts formed by media agents (publishing houses, journalists) turned out to be highly clichéd and based on manipulative rhetorical devices (fields “Russia”, “Headlines promising to give the answer in the article below, Speech activity”, “New and unexpected”). Performers (actants) and actions here assume a secondary position. Actual interests of the audience — news content readers — focus on such concepts as character, event and chronotope (fields “Celebrities”, “Putin, Incidents”, “News”, “Death”, “Donbas”, “Kazakhstan”, “Crimea”, etc.). CTR analysis also demonstrates the growth of the users’ self-awareness as active participants of the media environment, due to their interest to journalism and PR, since they no longer passive receptors, but more often experts able to evaluate events and interpret facts.

Classification of social media users with generalized functional data analysis

Technological advancement has made possible the collection of data from social media platforms at unprecedented speed and volume. Current methods for analyzing such data lack interpretability, are computationally intensive, or require a rigid data specification. Functional data analysis enables the development of a flexible, yet interpretable, modeling framework to extract lower-dimensional relevant features of a user's posting behavior on social media, based on their posting activity over time. The extracted features can then be used to discriminate a malicious user from a genuine one. The proposed methodology can classify a binary time series in a computationally efficient manner and provides more insights into the posting behavior of social media agents. Performance of the method is illustrated numerically in simulation studies and on a motivating Twitter data set. The developed methods are applicable to other social media data, such as Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, or TikTok, or any form of digital interaction where the user's posting behavior is indicative of their user class.

Digital (In)Security in Latin America: The Dimensions of Social Media Violence against the Press and Journalists’ Coping Strategies

As the journalism industry faces increasing risk and insecurity in the digital environment, there is still much to know about how journalists are reacting to and internalizing online harassment, and what the consequences are for their routines. Approaching the problem from a socio-technical perspective and using focus groups with Latin American journalists, this study identified the dimensions of social media violence against journalists, and the actors and coping strategies involved in responses to social media violence. This study shows that social media violence against journalists permeates all stages of news production stages. The study also identifies new and changing actors—such as the social media agent provocateur, who, working on behalf of governments and parties, stirs up mob censorship as part of orchestrated online harassment to try to dictate what news is told—, as well as actants, such as messaging apps that journalists use to create support networks. Implications for Latin American journalism are discussed.

Farmers’ Perception on the Welfare of Broiler Chickens in Smallholder Production Systems in Kiambu County, Kenya

In Kenya, commercial broiler production is growing rapidly due to increasing demand for poultry meat resulting in higher incomes for farmers. Due to this increase in demand, broiler chicken production is increasingly becoming intensive where chickens are overstocked in deep litter systems subjecting the birds to suffering perpetuated through burns on their shanks and breasts with constant footpad lesions, thus compromising their welfare. This study was conducted to determine the farmers’ attitudes towards the welfare of broiler chickens in smallholder production systems in Kiambu County, Kenya. A total of 120 farmers were randomly chosen for the study consisting of 42 and 78 respondents from Kikuyu and Kabete subcounties, respectively. A semistructured questionnaire was used to interview the farmers on their knowledge, attitudes, and practices in regard to broiler welfare. The results of this study indicated that most farmers (74%) in Kikuyu and Kabete subcounties had knowledge about broiler welfare. Media, hatcheries, agrovet centres, and extension agents were the main sources of information on broiler welfare to farmers at 61%, 40%, 38.8%, and 31.5% respectively. Farmers perceived that good feeding (88%), good health (83%), suitable housing (82%), and appropriate behaviour (48%) were very important indicators of broiler chicken welfare. Gumboro (infectious bursal disease) and new castle disease (NCD) were prevented through vaccination by most farmers (91%), while coccidiosis was controlled through cleaning and disinfection of broiler sheds and equipment as well as treatment of sick birds with coccidiostat. In conclusion, farmers’ perception on broiler welfare has a bearing on the performance of broiler chickens.

Digital Management of Political Actors and Media Agents During the Republic of Belarus Events in 2020–2021: The Discursive Field and Dissemination Mechanisms

The article is devoted to identifying the features of digital management of opposition (protest) and pro-government producers of relevant content (political actors and media agents) who actively participated in the protest wave in the Republic of Belarus in 2020–2021. Certain similarities of communication and political culture allow us to say that unconventional forces can use the applied algorithms to destabilize the situation in the Russian Federation. Using a hybrid technique, including discourse analysis and automated social media analysis, the authors studied the digital management of content producers, the contextual discourse field, and the features of communication strategy in a network environment for broadcasting the generated discourses.

Combining failure modes and effects analysis and cause-effect analysis: a novel method of risk analysis to reduce anaphylaxis due to contrast media.

Contrast media agents are essential for computed tomography (CT)-based diagnoses. However, they can cause fatal adverse effects such as anaphylaxis in patients. Although it is rare, the chances of anaphylaxis increase with the number of examinations. We aimed to design a quality improvement initiative to reduce patient risk to contrast media agents. We analysed CT processes using contrast iodine in a tertiary-care academic hospital that performs approximately 14 000 CT scans per year in Japan. We applied a combination of failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) and cause-effect analysis to reduce the risk of patients developing allergic reactions to iodine-based contrast agents during CT imaging. Our multidisciplinary team comprising seven professionals analysed the data and designed a 56-process flowchart of CT imaging with iodine. We obtained 177 failure modes, of which 15 had a risk-probability number higher than 100. We identified the two riskiest processes and developed cause-and-effect diagrams for both: one was related to the exchange of information between the radiation and hospital information system regarding the patient's allergy, the other was due to education and structural deficiencies in observation following the exam. The combined method of FMEA and cause-and-effect analysis reveals high-risk processes and suggests measures to reduce these risks. FMEA is not well-known in healthcare but has significant potential for improving patient safety. Our findings emphasise the importance of adopting new techniques to reduce patient risk and carry out best practices in radiology.

Transnational Journalism History and China Matters

As a valuable historiographical approach to investigating media and culture in the Asia-Pacific region, transnational journalism history has begun to inquire into the interconnectedness between media landscapes of Western countries and those of the Far East. This article reflects on the historical interconnectedness between Chinese journalism and its overseas counterparts, showing how China matters appeal to the growing discourse of transnational journalism history. It begins with a concise review of the rise of transnational history and its influence on media historiography. Turning focus to the Chinese context, the article explores the entanglements between Chinese journalism history and the discourse of transnational journalism history. It provides examples of media agents, networks, concepts and norms, journalistic content, and journalism education involved in the transnational projects between China and other countries. In doing so, this article envisions possible directions for future research.

Using Frame Analysis to Operationalize Discourse Theory for Critical News Media Research

A main tenet of discourse theory, as derived from the original scholarship of Laclau and Mouffe, is that any social order is the contingent outcome of a political project. Such project is itself a consequence of material discursive practice, the pervasiveness of which is measurable in part by the extent to which its verbal articulations get disseminated with the help of news media. Thus, investigating news media agents which initiate, further, counter and discontinue the discursive process can be effective in mapping the political constitution of the social. But the question is: how to operationalize discourse theory for in-depth analysis of news media artifacts? Glynos and Howarth’s (2007) logics approach is a major step forward, but their account is too generalized to pass as an instructive account of their method. Others who have attempted to operationalize this approach have also left data analysis underspecified, particularly regarding the method of identifying the self-interpretations of social actors, on which the uncovering of logics initially depends. This article offers a more comprehensive methodological account. Through a sample analysis of one news report, we demonstrate that discourse theory’s analytical resources can be bolstered by subjecting the textual data to an approach derived from the literature on frame analysis. In the course of this illustration, we additionally hope to contribute to framing theory’s analytical repertoire.

Devices for the prevention of contrast-induced acute kidney injury in interventional cardiology

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) consists in acute decline in renal function following iodinated contrast media exposure. It has a significant impact on long-term prognosis and mortality, development of chronic kidney disease and on the rate of hospitalization due to cardiovascular or renal events. Anamnestic and procedural aspects linked to higher risk of CI-AKI have been investigated and new devices have been designed in order to prevent it. This paper deals with CI-AKI in interventional cardiology, focusing on patients' risk stratification, contrast media agent selection and contrast media volume reduction strategies, in order to suggest a standardized algorithm.