Journalism and Ethics - Ethics in Journalism in the Era of Prolific Sources

As all other human activities before the advance of technology and thought, the contemporary journalism is also changing, maintaining, in the meantime, the specificity of its role: to inform, to give everyone the chance to meet people, facts, and ideas, and then make a personal opinion. But the advent of new technologies has paradoxically made it harder to tell the truth because the Internet is almost a lazy journalist who knows the computer just to have the whole world within the reach of a mouse. Having a manifold effect determining the network, it is no longer the man to decide what actually is news, but the response that it has had on the Net, and then in the world therefore is. The lack of filters on the Net means that everything that is available to those who use the Web works as or, just for the sake of knowledge, is assumed as the rank of truth – only to realize, as more frequently happens, that the error is always lurking. The United States, the country that is always in front of others and its technology, for the vast use they make of it, are perhaps the best example to understand how did the journalist profession change, but also have soothing forms of security and protection to the reader. The possibility of having a window permanently open to electronic newspapers that are published in the most remote nooks of the Earth may lead to the temptation of indulging transgressions. But if you rely on the others’ eyes, you fall in the risk of telling people not to trust strangers. But when American reporters are wrong, their own newspapers are the first to denounce them. And this is a sign of how there can not be a great democracy without great press and, therefore, a large press can only be an expression of a great democracy. One matter of great emphasis, in my opinion, is the negative use, often too casual, that makes the web, now that almost everything is allowed, even interpret a fact and not merely tell about it. A couple of years ago, most broadcasting channels around the world showed pictures of a Palestinian and his son trapped in the Gaza Strip, in a shoot-out between Islamic militants and Israeli soldiers. Eventually, as the cameras transmitted, they both died in front of the objectives of photographers. Images, as in fact happened, ’’were’’ interpreted by most of the international press, in the sense that their political values took precedence over reality. That is, the death of the two innocent people ended up in a story bigger than themselves. But the network should be considered a great opportunity, especially when, as has recently happened during the protests in Iran, in the absence of a space for official information the journalists had only one source, the Web. Twitter reported that three people died during the protests. Some sources of information broadcasted that news, some did not. And who broke the news made a choice that is explained in the trial of the first magnitude. That is why we broke the news; in this way the drama of those moments could have best been bespoken. What we come up is whether alternative sources of news, such as bloggers and Twitter, can we rank official. I do have my concerns, others do not, and this debate will obviously continue. When I talk to younger colleagues trying to explain the need to have only one reference point – the truth – I realize I am saying quite a trivial thing. There is a fact, and then there is the news. There is what is happening and what then becomes news. These are two elements that need and should be coincident, but often are not. And here the assessment of fairness and good work of a journalist must be taken into account: had he been able to tell what was real in fact as it actually or commonly happens in such a profession or, had he described it and hence has he bowed to other needs. Anyone, who has endured a past in which the lack of freedom of expression had been almost uncritically accepted, possesses thirst for knowledge, for lore. The journalist is now part of a mechanism, but should not fall into thinking that he is the most important mechanism. He is a piece of the chessboard where the interest is far greater than him and where he must stand above the ability of not falling into temptation; to feel just a part, and not more, who tells the truth. A journalist can create a character, so that he can destroy a person afterwards. But when something is about to be spilled out, he must not master other than himself and his morals. In a perfect world, the journalist should not have friends; he should only think and act upon his own head, he should forget his religion, his political beliefs. Having no masters has always been the dream for most journalists, others’ only reason why they started this profession is having their master. A world without ethics is not a world. A world without honest journalists, capable of telling the truth, even at the cost of their lives, is not a world but the kingdom of darkness, pain, not illuminated by the sun of freedom

Reading a GEM with a VLSI pixel ASIC used as a direct charge collecting anode

In MicroPattern Gas Detectors (MPGD) when the pixel size is below 100 micron and the number of pixels is large (above 1000) it is virtually impossible to use the conventional PCB read-out approach to bring the signal charge from the individual pixel to the external electronics chain. For this reason a custom CMOS array of 2101 active pixels with 80 micron pitch, directly used as the charge collecting anode of a GEM amplifying structure, has been developed and built. Each charge collecting pad, hexagonally shaped, realized using the top metal layer of a deep submicron VLSI technology is individually connected to a full electronics chain (pre-amplifier, shaping-amplifier, sample and hold, multiplexer) which is built immediately below it by using the remaining five active layers. The GEM and the drift electrode window are assembled directly over the chip so the ASIC itself becomes the pixelized anode of a MicroPattern Gas Detector. With this approach, for the first time, gas detectors have reached the level of integration and resolution typical of solid state pixel detectors. Results from the first tests of this new read-out concept are presented. An Astronomical X-Ray Polarimetry application is also discussed.Comment: 11 pages, 14 figures, presented at the Xth Vienna Conference on Instrumentation (Vienna, February 16-21 2004). For a higher resolution paper contact [email protected]

Single-shot X-ray phase-contrast computed tomography with non-microfocal laboratory sources

We present a method that enables performing x-ray phase-contrast imaging (XPCI) computed tomography with a laboratory setup using a single image per projection angle, eliminating the need to move optical elements during acquisition. Theoretical derivation of the method is presented, and its validity conditions are provided. The object is assumed to be quasihomogeneous, i.e., to feature a ratio between the refractive index and the linear attenuation coefficient that is approximately constant across the field of view. The method is experimentally demonstrated on a plastics phantom and on biological samples using a continuous rotation acquisition scheme achieving scan times of a few minutes. Moreover, we show that such acquisition times can be further reduced with the use of a high-efficiency photon-counting detector. Thanks to its ability to substantially simplify the image-acquisition procedure and greatly reduce collection times, we believe this method represents a very important step towards the application of XPCI to real-world problems

Measurement of the position resolution of the Gas Pixel Detector

The Gas Pixel Detector was designed and built as a focal plane instrument for X-ray polarimetry of celestial sources, the last unexplored subtopics of X-ray astronomy. It promises to perform detailed and sensitive measurements resolving extended sources and detecting polarization in faint sources in crowded fields at the focus of telescopes of good angular resolution. Its polarimetric and spectral capability were already studied in earlier works. Here we investigate for the first time, with both laboratory measurements and Monte Carlo simulations, its imaging properties to confirm its unique capability to carry out imaging spectral-polarimetry in future X-ray missions.Comment: Submitted to Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A; 15 figures, 3 table

LAMP: a micro-satellite based soft X-ray polarimeter for astrophysics

The Lightweight Asymmetry and Magnetism Probe (LAMP) is a micro-satellite mission concept dedicated for astronomical X-ray polarimetry and is currently under early phase study. It consists of segmented paraboloidal multilayer mirrors with a collecting area of about 1300 cm^2 to reflect and focus 250 eV X-rays, which will be detected by position sensitive detectors at the focal plane. The primary targets of LAMP include the thermal emission from the surface of pulsars and synchrotron emission produced by relativistic jets in blazars. With the expected sensitivity, it will allow us to detect polarization or place a tight upper limit for about 10 pulsars and 20 blazars. In addition to measuring magnetic structures in these objects, LAMP will also enable us to discover bare quark stars if they exist, whose thermal emission is expected to be zero polarized, while the thermal emission from neutron stars is believed to be highly polarized due to plasma polarization and the quantum electrodynamics (QED) effect. Here we present an overview of the mission concept, its science objectives and simulated observational results

Spectral and polarimetric characterization of the Gas Pixel Detector filled with dimethyl ether

The Gas Pixel Detector belongs to the very limited class of gas detectors optimized for the measurement of X-ray polarization in the emission of astrophysical sources. The choice of the mixture in which X-ray photons are absorbed and photoelectrons propagate, deeply affects both the energy range of the instrument and its performance in terms of gain, track dimension and ultimately, polarimetric sensitivity. Here we present the characterization of the Gas Pixel Detector with a 1 cm thick cell filled with dimethyl ether (DME) at 0.79 atm, selected among other mixtures for the very low diffusion coefficient. Almost completely polarized and monochromatic photons were produced at the calibration facility built at INAF/IASF-Rome exploiting Bragg diffraction at nearly 45 degrees. For the first time ever, we measured the modulation factor and the spectral capabilities of the instrument at energies as low as 2.0 keV, but also at 2.6 keV, 3.7 keV, 4.0 keV, 5.2 keV and 7.8 keV. These measurements cover almost completely the energy range of the instrument and allows to compare the sensitivity achieved with that of the standard mixture, composed of helium and DME.Comment: 20 pages, 11 figures, 5 tables. Accepted for publication by NIM

Re-testing the JET-X Flight Module No. 2 at the PANTER facility

The Joint European X-ray Telescope (JET-X) was the core instrument of the Russian Spectrum-X-gamma space observatory. It consisted of two identical soft X-ray (0.3 - 10 keV) telescopes with focusing optical modules having a measured angular resolution of nearly 15 arcsec. Soon after the payload completion, the mission was cancelled and the two optical flight modules (FM) were brought to the Brera Astronomical Observatory where they had been manufactured. After 16 years of storage, we have utilized the JET-X FM2 to test at the PANTER X-ray facility a prototype of a novel X-ray polarimetric telescope, using a Gas Pixel Detector (GPD) with polarimetric capabilities in the focal plane of the FM2. The GPD was developed by a collaboration between INFN-Pisa and INAF-IAPS. In the first phase of the test campaign, we have re-tested the FM2 at PANTER to have an up-to-date characterization in terms of angular resolution and effective area, while in the second part of the test the GPD has been placed in the focal plane of the FM2. In this paper we report the results of the tests of the sole FM2, using an unpolarized X-ray source, comparing the results with the calibration done in 1996.Comment: Author's accepted manuscript posted to arXiv.org as permitted by Springer's Self-Archiving Policy. The final publication is available at http://rd.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10686-013-9365-

Acellular Dermal Matrices and Radiotherapy in Breast Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Literature

The increasing use of commercially available acellular dermis matrices for postmastectomy breast reconstruction seems to have simplified the surgical procedure and enhanced the outcome. These materials, generally considered to be highly safe or with only minor contraindications due to the necessary manipulation in preparatory phases, allow an easier one-phase surgical procedure, in comparison with autologous flaps, offering a high patient satisfaction. Unfortunately, the claim for a higher rate of complications associated with irradiation at the implant site, especially when the radiation therapy was given before the reconstructive surgery, suggested a careful behaviour when this technique is preferred. However, this hypothesis was never submitted to a crucial test, and data supporting it are often discordant or incomplete. To provide a comprehensive analysis of the field, we searched and systematically reviewed papers published after year 2005 and registered clinical trials. On the basis of a meta-analysis of data, we conclude that the negative effect of the radiotherapy on the breast reconstruction seems to be evident even in the case of acellular dermis matrices aided surgery. However, more trials are needed to make solid conclusions and clarify the poor comprehension of all the factors negatively influencing outcome

Effect of Pegbovigrastim on Hematological Profile of Simmental Dairy Cows during the Transition Period

Pegbovigrastim is a long-acting analog of recombinant bovine granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, that promotes and increases the count and functionality of polymorphonuclear cells in dairy cows. The present study aimed to explore, for the first time in Simmental cows, the clinical and hematological effect of pegbovigrastim during the transition period (TP). Cows were randomly assigned into two groups: treated group (PEG; n = 16) received pegbovigrastim at approximately 7 days before expected parturition and within 6 h after calving, and control group (CTR; n = 16) received saline solution. Blood samples were obtained at −7, 0, 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 30 days relative to calving. PEG group showed white blood cells (WBC) count consistently higher compared with CTR group (p < 0.001) until to 3 weeks after calving. Neutrophils remained higher in PEG group (p < 0.001) up to three weeks after calving, compared with CTR group, with slight increment of band cells. Moreover, PEG group displayed a lower index of myeloperoxidase at 1, 3, and 7 days after calving (p < 0.01) compared with CTR. Basophils and lymphocytes showed a similar trend to those observed for neutrophils at 1 day after calving in PEG group. Finally, monocytes remained markedly elevated until 3 days after calving in PEG compared to CTR group (p < 0.001), whereas in PEG group, eosinophils population showed lower percentage values at 1 and 3 days after calving but higher values at 30 days compared with CTR group. PEG group was characterized by lower red blood cells (RBCs) count compared with CTR group (p < 0.05) and higher % of red cell volume distribution width (RDW) from week 2 and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) at 30 days after calving. In addition, the mean platelet volume (MPV) was significantly higher in PEG group at calving, 1, 3, and 7 days after calving compared with CTR group (p < 0.05). For the first time, we described the effect of pegbovigrastim in a breed not specialized exclusively in milk production as Holstein, but with dual purpose (meat and milk), evaluating the complete hematological profile in cows during the transition period. These results provide evidence on the proliferative effect of pegbovigrastim on WBC in Simmental breed highlighting its possible side effect on RBCs