Social Media,Political Expression,and Political Participation: Panel Analysis of Lagged and Concurrent Relationships

This article relies on U.S. 2‐wave panel data to examine the role of social media as a sphere for political expression and its effects on political participation. Informational uses of social media are expected to explain political expression on social media and to promote political participation. This study clarifies the effect of using social media for social interaction in fostering political expression and participation processes. Results indicate that social media news use has direct effects on offline political participation and indirect effects on offline and online political participation mediated via political expression. Furthermore, social media use for social interaction does not have direct influence in people's political engagement, but rather an indirect effect by means of citizens expressing themselves politically.     

Social media use,political affect,and participation among university students in urban China

Although the role of affects and emotions in political participation has attracted much scholarly attention, few studies have examined whether and how media and communications can be the sources of political affects. This study argues that social media are not only information channels; they can also be effective in communicating feelings and emotions. Social media use may contribute to political affects, which in turn impinge on civic and political participation. In addition, political affects may moderate the effects of social media use on political participation. Based on a survey of university students in Guangzhou, China (N = 897), this study finds that, under China’s networked authoritarianism, political communication via social media is related to positive affects toward the government and society, while connection with activists via social media is related to negative affect. Positive and negative affects have different impact on different types of participation. Negative affects strengthen the connection between social media use and participation. The roles of three discrete negative emotions – anger, anxiety and fear – are also explored.     

Beyond touchdown: College students’ sports participation,social media use,college attachment,and psychological well-being

This study investigated how college students’ sports participation and social media use relate to college attachment and their psychological well-being. An online survey was administered to 580 undergraduate students. Findings revealed that sports participation was positively related with social media use and college attachment, which in turn increases individuals’ psychological well-being. This study offers empirical evidence of the mediating role social media use plays in the relationship among sport participation, college attachment, and well-being. The findings contribute to further understanding about the mechanisms by which sports participation leads to psychological well-being through social media use.     

How does Facebook news use lead to actions in South Korea? The role of Facebook discussion network heterogeneity,political interest,and conflict avoidance in predicting political participation

Employing survey data collected in South Korea (N?=?470), this study investigated whether and how Facebook users’ news use promotes their offline political participation. Results showed that Facebook news use indirectly influenced political participation through discussion network heterogeneity. This indirect relationship was conditional on Facebook users’ political interest and conflict avoidance. For people who are highly interested in politics but less conflict avoidant, the frequency of Facebook news use is more likely to boost political discussions with heterogeneous others, which contributes to facilitating their participation in offline political activities. The implications of these results were discussed.     

Social participation of the elderly in China: The roles of conventional media,digital access and social media engagement

China is the most rapidly aging country and has the largest aging population in the world. However, social participation is an important intervention to boost the active and healthy aging. The present study investigated the effects of media usage, together with social-demographics and health variables, on Chinese older adults. Drawing upon a national research project with a representative sample (N = 1,399) of older adults (55+) from 58 cities in China, the research findings revealed that conventional media, digital access and social media usage had positive effects on older adults’ informal social participation, while age moderated the relationship between informal social participation and digital access, particularly regarding access to tablet PCs and smartphones. Moreover, conventional media, digital access and social media engagement largely explained seniors’ formal social participation regardless of their social-demographic backgrounds. Finally, the roles of conventional media and digital media in older adults’ social participation are discussed.     

Democracy Based on Difference: Examining the Links Between Structural Heterogeneity, Heterogeneity of Discussion Networks, and Democratic Citizenship

This study explores the direct and indirect links between structural heterogeneity, network heterogeneity, and political participation. We review the often conflicting scholarship on discussion network heterogeneity and political participation and place it within a multilevel conceptual framework of heterogeneity. Based on this integrated theoretical model, our study uses a combination of macro-level and individual-level survey data from various sources. First, we use a cross-sectional national data set, based on a telephone survey with a probability sample of almost 800 adults. Second, we combine these individual-level data with county-level data on religious, political, and racial heterogeneity. Based on these data sets, we develop a path model linking structure, context, and networks into an integrated pathway to evaluate the direct and indirect effects of heterogeneity on political participation. Our results show positive links between structural and network heterogeneity that are both direct and indirect, that is, mediated through various communication processes.     

Political Involvement in “Mobilized” Society: The Interactive Relationships Among Mobile Communication,Network Characteristics,and Political Participation

In recent years, mobile communication has emerged as a channel for political discourse among network ties. Although some celebrate new possibilities for political life, others are concerned that it can lead to network insularity and political detachment. This study examined how mobile‐mediated discourse with strong ties interacts with characteristics of those ties to predict levels of political participation. Findings revealed that mobile‐based discourse is positively associated with political participation, but that this relationship is moderated by the size and heterogeneity of one's network. Participation increases with use of the technology in large networks of like‐minded individuals, but declines with use of the technology in homogeneous networks that are small. Implications and future research considerations are offered in the discussion.     

Campaign Ads, Online Messaging, and Participation: Extending the Communication Mediation Model

Political communication researchers have devoted a great deal of attention to the role of political advertising, the Internet, and political discussion in civic and political life. In this article, we integrate and extend this research by developing a campaign communication mediation model of civic and campaign participation. Two data sets are merged for this inquiry: (a) content-coded ad-buy data on the placement of campaign messages on a market-by-market and program-by-program basis and (b) a national panel study concerning patterns of traditional and digital media consumption and levels of civic and campaign participation. Exposure to televised campaign advertising is estimated by developing an algorithm based on the market and program placement of specific ads and geocoded survey respondents' viewing of certain categories of television content in which these ads were concentrated. Structural equation models reveal that advertising exposure drives online news use in ways that complement conventional news influences on political discussion and political messaging. However, campaign exposure emphasizing "attack" messages appears to diminish information seeking motivations via broadcast and print media, yet only indirectly and weakly suppresses participation in civic and political life. Further, alternative specifications reveal that our original model produces the best fit, empirically and theoretically. We use these insights to propose an O-S-R-O-R (orientations-stimuli-reasoning-orientations-responses) framework as an alternative to the longstanding O-S-O-R model in communication and social psychology.     

Ultrastructural verification of anchoring role of lamina fibroreticularis of dental basement membrane in odontogenesis

In a previous study of the developing tooth a characteristic fibrillar layer associated with the basement membrane of the inner enamel epithelium was found to be a highly specialized lamina fibroreticularis of the basement membrane which is unusually rich in basotubules, 10 nm wide microfibril-like structures. In this study this layer was further examined in detail in the hope of ultrastructurally elucidating its role in odontogenesis. Tooth germs of the monkey (Macaca fuscata) were processed for thin section observations. Dental papilla cell processes were inserted into the lamina fibroreticularis and their surface was closely associated with numerous parallel basotubules. With high-resolution observations the space between the surface and nearest basotubules as well as the spaces between neighbouring basotubules were bridged by 1.5-3 nm wide filaments running perpendicular to the axis of basotubules. These results indicate that the processes of dental papilla cells are linked to groups of basotubules by means of 1.5-3 nm wide filaments. Immunoperoxidase staining showed the presence of fibronectin along basotubules as well as within the space between the process and basotubule. This result, together with the comparison of these filaments with microfibril-associated 1.2-3 nm wide fibronectin filaments and the reported abundance of fibronectin in the basement membrane area during odontogenesis, indicates that these 1.5-3 nm wide filaments are composed of fibronectin. After immunostaining for amyloid P component, done with the rat tissue because of the nature of an available antiserum, basotubules in the lamina fibroreticularis were positively stained, as has been shown in basotubules/microfibrils in other locations. Microfibrils function as anchoring rods by interlinking connective tissue components to one another and to the cells. Basotubules, thought to be basement membrane-incorporated microfibrils, in the lamina fibroreticularis in this study are also likely to function as an anchoring device to immobilize dental papilla cells along the basement membrane. Such an arrangement of mesenchymal cells is known to be crucial for the successful differentiation of odontoblasts in the developing tooth.     

Ideological motives,digital divides,and political polarization: How do political party preference and values correspond with the political use of social media?

Social media provides new platforms for political participation and ideological categorization. However, little research has been done on how party preference is related to politically active social media use. We begin with a consideration of how political participation on social media has evolved between various socio-economic and demographic groups in advanced information societies and especially in Finland. In our empirical analysis we examine the general use of social media as well as its use for political purposes with the aid of a nationally representative dataset, collected in 2017–2018 from 3724 Finnish citizens. We argue that there are notable differences between parties when examining their supporters’ social media use for political purposes. The differences are related to the digital divides and political extremes. The results confirmed the idea that new political movements made up of younger and more educated supporters have been successful by leveraging social media. The study also revealed that the ideological gap between party supporters is greater in social media especially when examining new kinds of politics based on cultural questions, identity issues, and post-materialist values.     

多版本备份和限制性双重认证主密钥(t,s,k,n)图像分存

传统影子图像连接的（t,s,k,n）分存易导致分发影子图像大小不等,基于伯克霍夫插值的（t,s,k,n）分存不能高效恢复;而双认证自修复图像分存对密图和备份图恢复能力十分有限.针对以上问题,采用随机参与值通过（k,s）和（k-t,n-s）分存来构造主密钥（t,s,k,n）分存并通过第3方公信方存储的MD5值以防止作弊.所提策略由主密钥对密图LL子带置乱来形成对显著比特多备份、对非显著比特少备份和经主密钥不同程度置乱的多版本备份图;引入限制性双重认证在保持认证精度的同时,将尽可能多的备份比特通过GF（2^8）域（k,n）分存嵌入来形成嵌密掩体.理论和实验表明,主密钥（t,s,k,n）分存可高效求解;随机参与值可避免参与者编号泄露,分发信息的篡改和认证比特的揣测;多版本备份可对备份图高置信度地恢复;而限制性双重认证在认证能力上不低于双认证自修复图像分存.     

Integrated global networks,tomorrow' communications today

This article presents an overview of the concept of a multiple purpose global satellite network. It identifies some of the main needs of telecommunication services today, and projects the potential of future demands. It also describes the great possibilities of economic expansion and mass participation in the growth and prosperity of a nation, if basic telecommunication services are accessible on a global scale. The study suggests that the rapid recovery of capital investments on universal satellite networks lies in developing regions through cost-effective service diversification.     

The smart antennas at Thomson-Csf Communications: concepts, implementations, performances and applications

This paper describes the on-going activity on smart antenna systems at Thornson-CSF Communications (Tcc) including concepts, prototypes and product developments. These smart antenna systems are dedicated to both civilian and military applications, to radiocommu-nications as well as electronic warfare or spectrum monitoring. This activity is based upon a team of 20 engineers and a growing number of collaboration with research laboratories in France and within theEec through the active participation in research programs.     

Understanding the impacts of Internet use on senior Citizens’ social participation in China: Evidence from longitudinal panel data

Scholars have appealed to build a digitally inclusive society to include senior citizens. However, conclusions on the impacts of Internet use on senior citizens’ social participation are divided. In order to address the above issue, this study addresses two questions: 1) how Internet use is related to senior citizens’ social participation; and 2) what the specific impacts of Internet use are on different subgroups’ social participation. We aim to understand the specific impacts of Internet use on senior citizens’ social participation meanwhile explore the reasons causing the abovementioned inconsistence in prior studies. We ran different panel regression models to address these questions based on a dataset drawn from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Our empirical results indicate that seniors who are Internet users have higher social participation than those who do not use the Internet even after controlling out other influencing factors; however, frequent Internet use leads to less social participation among senior citizens. For senior citizens with higher cognitive functioning, both using Internet or not and the frequency of Internet use lead to more social participation. Both using Internet or not and the frequency of Internet use cause senior citizens with pensions to engage in fewer social activities. For female senior citizens, frequent Internet use leads to lower social participation. These findings suggest that government and communities should improve digital infrastructures and offer senior citizens more opportunities to access the Internet; meanwhile, local communities, social workers, and family members should direct senior citizens to use the Internet in a reasonable manner.     

Community, democracy, and neighborhood news

This ethnographic study examines the interplay between communication, democracy, and community at an inner-city neighborhood newspaper, and explores whether this neighborhood newspaper - through its editor and staff - views itself acting as an agent of strong democracy. The study concludes that, through its focus on neighborhood culture, its acknowledgment of conflict, and its attempts to provide a forum for the neighborhood's self-definition, the newspaper tries to create and maintain participation in its community.     

Filthy lucre: gold,language, and exchange anxiety

This essay examines the discourse among newly emerging American right-wing groups around gold currency and the gold standard to develop the concept of exchange anxiety, a discomfort about the terms of subjects’ participation in social economies of exchange. Gold is a common thread linking many otherwise disparate conservative groups, and examining this continuity may demonstrate an underlying connective logic among newly emerging right-wing ideologies. Using Jacques Lacan’s notions of anxiety and psychosis, I argue that anxiety over the gold standard bears a metaphorical relationship to both language and excrement. This anxiety can be further illuminated with Lacan’s concept of the “yieldable object,” an intermediary between subject and Other that may serve as the object of the Other’s demand. Ultimately, the gold standard represents an insistence on intrinsic value that compensates for uncertainty about subjects’ participation in highly complex and rapidly changing social systems. Rather than directly refuting specific claims, engaged scholarship might profit by insisting on rhetoric’s traditional embrace of ambiguity and messiness to disrupt the delusional certainty advanced by extremist ideologies.     

Social media and expressive citizenship: Understanding the relationships between social and entertainment expression on Facebook and political participation

Substantial research has explored the political significance of social media use in the context of collective actions. Yet much remains unknown about whether common, day-to-day, nonpolitically oriented activities on social media relate to political engagement. Focusing on Facebook, the primary social media platform for most Americans, this study investigates whether and how social and entertainment expression on the site are associated with political participation among a diverse online sample of American adults. Results show that social and entertainment expressive Facebook use are indirectly associated with political participation through political communication in the form of interactive political expression on the site. In addition, findings demonstrate that social expressive use is also conducive to political participation via offline political talk, but entertainment expressive use is not significantly related to political talk in offline settings. Further analysis shows that the interactions between political interest and each of the expressive uses are largely insignificantly related to political communication and participation. Overall, the study’s findings help to clarify the distinctions between the two types of nonpolitical Facebook use and the underlying process by which these uses contribute to political participation.     

Social media use and university students’ participation in a large-scale protest campaign: The case of Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement

This study examines the impact of social media use on participation in large-scale protest campaigns that feature a range of participation opportunities. It develops a theoretical model which distinguishes between support generation and behavior activation effects, differentiates collective action, digital, and personalized action participation, and posits social media use as a mediator between social psychological predictors of protest behavior and actual participation. The empirical analysis focuses on Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement in 2014. Analyzing a probability sample of university students (N = 795), the findings show that sharing political information and direct connections with political actors via social media have significant impact on both support for and participation in the Umbrella Movement. Social media use has effects on each dependent variable in the causal chain even after all the immediate causes are controlled. Social media use also mediates part of the impact of general political awareness, efficacy, and grievances on movement support and participation.     

Ultrastructural studies demonstrate that epithelial polarity is established in cultured mouse pre-Sertoli cells by extracellular matrix components.

The effect of three different substrates, laminin, fibronectin and reconstituted basement membrane, on isolated mouse pre-Sertoli cells maintained in vitro has been investigated. Cultures were monitored on a daily basis by phase contrast microscopy, and processed for light and electron microscopy at the end of the culture period. Extra-cellular matrix components have been found to influence Sertoli cell differentiation: both fibronectin and laminin promoted cell adhesion and differentiation, though laminin cultures showed poor viability. Pre-Sertoli cells cultured on reconstituted basement membrane showed the highest degree of differentiation, developing a polarized epithelial phenotype and forming cord-like aggregates; such cultures provide a model system for the investigation of factors involved with gonadal differentiation.     

The Third Revolution, Politics, and the Prospect for an Open Society

This paper first attempts to characterize information technology as a political resource. How and in what respect, for example, does information technology compare in nature and significance to energy and other industrial capacities? What are the key differences, from the standpoint of politics? The paper then goes on to identify and assess a few particular impacts this technology is having and is likely to have on the future of American politics and government. Problems dealt with include: the problem of a new class division between those who know how and those who know; the problem of new forms of participation and their effect on the old; the problems of privacy and secrecy; and the future role of education.