Big Brother Research Articles

OsOFP6 Overexpression Alters Plant Architecture, Grain Shape, and Seed Fertility.

OVATE family proteins (OFPs) play important roles in plant growth and development, hormone signaling, and stress response pathways. However, the functions of OsOFPs in rice are largely unknown. In this study, a novel gain-of-function rice mutant, Osofp6-D, was identified. This mutant exhibited decreased plant height, erect leaves, reduced panicle size, short and wide seeds, delayed seed germination time, and reduced fertility. These phenotypic changes were attributed to the increased expression of OsOFP6, which was caused by a T-DNA insertion. Complementation of the Osofp6-D phenotype by knockout of OsOFP6 using the CRISPR/Cas9 system confirmed that the Osofp6-D phenotype was caused by OsOFP6 overexpression. In addition, transgenic plants overexpressing OsOFP6 with the 35S promoter mimicked the Osofp6-D phenotype. Cytological observations of the glumes showed that OsOFP6 overexpression altered the grain shape, mainly by altering the cell shape. Hormone response experiments showed that OsOFP6 was involved in the gibberellin (GA) and brassinolide (BR) signaling responses. Further studies revealed that OsOFP6 interacts with E3BB, which is orthologous to the Arabidopsis central organ size-control protein BIG BROTHER (BB). This study further elucidates the regulation mechanism of the rice OFP family on plant architecture and grain shape.

Triflate's bigger brother: The unprecedented tribrate anion, [Br3 CSO3

The synthesis of the unprecedented [Br3 CSO3 ]- anion starts with the bromination of phenylmethanesulfonate, C6 H5 OSO2 CH3 , with KOBr leading to C6 H5 OSO2 CBr3 . The formation of the [CBr3 ] moiety has been proved, also by an X-ray structure determination of the compound (triclinic, P-1, a=685.9(2), b=698.1(2), c=1190.2(3) pm, α=93.99(1)°, β=97.42(1)°, γ=94.45(1)°). The ester C6 H5 OSO2 CBr3 can be split under basic conditions. The resulting acid provides access to the yet unknown tribromomethanesulfates ("tribrates"). K[Br3 CSO3 ] ⋅ H2 O, the first tribrate known so far has been characterized comprehensively, including an X-ray structure determination (monoclinic, C2/c, a=2267.1(2), b=1282.25(8), c=2618.2(2) pm, β=111.266(2)°), vibrational spectroscopy and theoretical calculations. Moreover, the thermal analysis shows that, after loss of the crystal water, the tribrate decomposes between 530 and 630 K.

Moral Implication of Big Brother Naija (BBN) on Nigeria Youths

The phenomenon of Big Brother Nigeria (BBN) has garnered significant attention due to its moral implications on Nigerian youth. This paper delves into the ethical ramifications of BBN on the younger generation of Nigeria, exploring how the show’s content influences their behavior, values, and perceptions and other factors that are responsible for moral decline among Nigerian Youths. The rise of reality television programs, such as BBN, has perpetuated a culture of voyeurism and sensationalism, which raises concerns regarding the impact on the moral fabric of Nigerian society. BBN exhibits a wide range of behaviors, including deceit, manipulation, and public humiliation, which can normalize and desensitize the youth to these negative actions. One of the primary moral implications of BBN on Nigerian youth is the erosion of traditional values and ethics. This study adopts historical, descriptive and sociological approaches. It was revealed that the show often emphasizes materialism, instant gratification, and superficiality, promoting a value system that prioritizes fame, wealth, and self-interest. On the positive side, BBN also exposes the Nigerian youth to diverse cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives. It offers a platform for social issues to be discussed, raising awareness and encouraging critical thinking. It concludes that, its content and presentation have the potential to shape the behavior, values, and perceptions of the younger generation. The study recommends that the citizens and government should rise to take serious measure against the activities of Big Brother Naija or better still to set laws that will check and regulate their activities.

Big Brother was watching us: Soviet mapping of Norway during the Cold War

ABSTRACT In the early 1990s, it was revealed that during the Cold War the Soviet Union’s General Staff had secretly mapped large parts of the world in great detail. This article discusses Soviet military maps covering Norway, and analyses how the maps were produced and how successfully they depict their subject. The author concludes that the USSR utilised open sources, satellite imagery, and human intelligence when compiling the maps, with varying degrees of success ranging from the successful penetration of Norwegian military secrecy to misidentification of commonly known institutions, which resulted in maps of highly non-uniform quality that were unique in Norwegian mapping history. A further conclusion is that the maps clearly do not represent the full Soviet intelligence repository on Norwegian topography, and the author discusses some possible theories for their unexpectedly low quality and reasons why they were perceived as vastly superior when first discovered.

She, Linn da Quebrada: transvestility and representation in Big Brother Brazil 22

Resumo Neste artigo, partimos das lições de Foucault acerca da arte de governar como uma multiplicidade de formas de gerenciamento de si, do outro, dos bens, do estado ou de outros fenômenos, para compreendermos como ocorre o governo de si e do outro a partir da participação de Lin da Quebrada no BBB 22. O objetivo é analisar o modo de enunciar a travestilidade e a representatividade e as condições de emergência desse discurso. A discussão será empreendida com base nos estudos discursivos foucaultianos (Foucault, 1999a, 1999b, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013a, 2013b, 2013c) e nos estudos de gênero e sexualidade (Louro, 2001; Butler, 2000). A metodologia utilizada é a análise enunciativa de Foucault (2008). Concluímos que o governo de si e do outro é empreendido no BBB 22 por intermédio de práticas discursivas que se inserem na ordem do discurso da travestilidade e da representatividade.

Orwell’s Legacy in Years and Years (Russell T. Davies, 2019)

The UK has regularly produced films and series that are resonant with some aspects of Nineteen Eighty-Four whatever their genre (science-fiction, horror, thriller, drama). However, one of the most recent and comprehensive tributes to and updates on Orwell’s famous dystopia is probably Russell T. Davies’s miniseries Years and Years (2019). Set in a post-Brexit Britain, it follows an average “Middle England” family from Manchester over the course of a decade of turmoil starting in 2019 and can be seen as a prequel to Orwell’s book. Oceania’s guiding principles are looming in a sort of Big Brother’s world in the making (with omnipresent screens, artificial intelligence and biotechnology) in which all the preconditions for a totalitarian regime to take over the UK are already in place. Populist leaders resort to Newspeak euphemisms to obfuscate the harsh reality of their policies and only common decency can be pitted against them. Like its unavowed model, the miniseries serves as a wake-up call for technophile, numbed 21st century audiences since its conclusion is that it is up to citizens to reclaim and keep control over the past, the present and the future to ensure the survival of democratic institutions.

Biographie et fiction dans les romans dystopiques de Oana Orlea et Virgil Gheorghiu

This article analyses the theme of fear in Le grand Exterminateur by Virgil Gheorghiu and Un sosie en cavale by Oana Orlea. Romanian writers who chose the exile in France during the Cold War describe in their novels a dystopic world, where the dominant fear of the communist Romanian secret police, the Securitate, transforms the whole world in a prison cell. Inspired by their biography, Orlea’s and Gheorghiu’s novels describe the relationship between the world they escaped from and France, their new home, as permeable, thus creating a fictional world from which escape is impossible. The protagonists of Orlea’s and Gheorghiu’s novels are convinced that the Securitate is watching everybody and is just as omniscient and omnipresent as Orwell’s Big Brother. From a narrative point of view, both Orlea and Gheorghiu use a formula that brings together the detective novel, the dystopia, and some references to their own biographies.

A service evaluation of passive remote monitoring technology for patients in a high-secure forensic psychiatric hospital: a qualitative study

BackgroundTechnology has the potential to remotely monitor patient safety in real-time that helps staff and without disturbing the patient. However, staff and patients’ perspectives on using passive remote monitoring within an inpatient setting is lacking. The study aim was to explore stakeholders’ perspectives about using Oxehealth passive monitoring technology within a high-secure forensic psychiatric hospital in the UK as part of a wider mixed-methods service evaluation.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with staff and patients with experience of using Oxehealth technology face-to-face within a private room in Broadmoor Hospital. We applied thematic analysis to the data of each participant group separately. Themes and sub-themes were integrated, finalised, and presented in a thematic map. Design, management, and analysis was meaningfully informed by both staff and patients.ResultsTwenty-four participants were interviewed (n = 12 staff, n = 12 patients). There were seven main themes: detecting deterioration and improving health and safety, “big brother syndrome”, privacy and dignity, knowledge and understanding, acceptance, barriers to use and practice issues and future changes needed. Oxehealth technology was considered acceptable to both staff and patients if the technology was used to detect deterioration and improve patient’s safety providing patient’s privacy was not invaded. However, overall acceptance was lower when knowledge and understanding of the technology and its camera was limited. Most patients could not understand why both physical checks through bedroom windows, and Oxehealth was needed to monitor patients, whilst staff felt Oxehealth should not replace physical checks of patients as reassures staff on patient safety.ConclusionsOxehealth technology is considered viable and acceptable by most staff and patients but there is still some concern about its possible intrusive nature. However, more support and education for new patients and staff to better understand how Oxehealth works in the short- and long-term could be introduced to further improve acceptability. A feasibility study or pilot trial to compare the impact of Oxehealth with and without physical checks may be needed.

Associations of youth mentoring with parent emotional well-being and family functioning: Longitudinal findings from a study of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada

This study explores the association between child’s participation in a community-based mentoring program and parents' emotional well-being and perceived family functioning. 553 parents and their children were recruited through 20 Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada agencies. Assessments were completed at the time of program referral and 6-, 12-, 18-, 24-, and 30-month post-baseline. Controlling for parent and child demographic characteristics, child’s behavioral difficulties and physical health problems, and baseline scores of parents’ mental health, family functioning, and social support, growth curve modelling was conducted to compare parents with mentored (n = 352) and non-mentored children (n = 201) in their reports of depression, social anxiety, hostility, and family functioning across the six time points. Findings indicated a greater rate of improvement over time in family functioning of parents with mentored children as compared to parents with non-mentored children. Parents with mentored children reported lower levels of depression, social anxiety, and hostility/aggression than parents with non-mentored children, but the group differences were marginally non-significant at p <.10. Effect sizes (Cohen’s d) were small in magnitude. Sensitivity analyses with growth curve models suggested that the findings were robust for family functioning and parental social anxiety. Findings provide preliminary evidence for the potential of one-on-one mentoring relationships between children and community volunteers that are established through formal programs to benefit the parents and families of participating children.

The growth of Soviet music in the scope of Chinese cinema in the early period of the establishment of New China: an example of the interlude “Oh, the snowball tree is in blossom” in the film and television works of Ivan Perilyev

In the early days of the founding of New China, there was an international situation with close political contact between China and the Soviet Union. I still remember the title of “Big Brother of the Soviet Union”, which shows the political and cultural exchange and blending between these two countries. In the film industry culture, Soviet films and their unique musical melodies and content materials have inspired the development of Chinese films. The musical elements in the films can make the film works more valuable, and it is easier for them to have emotional impacts and fluctuations to invoke empathy and association. This article will analyze and discuss the films in the early days of the founding of New China through the development and influence of Soviet music in China at that time and through the detailed analysis of the specific work “Happy Life” by Ivan Pyryev to search for and summarize the clues of the rooted development of Soviet music in the Chinese film industry and its role and significance in future film and television development.

팬데믹과 뉴노멀 시대에 있어서 4차산업혁명과 법치주의의 과제

The post-COVID era is clearly a time requiring the convergence of law and science, navigating through both pandemic and endemic situations. The era has witnessed the implementation of stringent social measures, such as social distancing, movement and location tracking, restrictions on gatherings and protests, mandatory vaccinations, vaccine passports, business operation limits, school attendance timing restrictions, mask mandates, utilization of non-contact transactions, enforced quarantine, and lockdowns. These measures have necessitated a confluence of law and science. While South Korea has rapidly addressed this convergence from a rule-of-law perspective, there remain shortcomings in this approach. Particularly, the introduction of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies like artificial intelligence, big data, and the Internet of Things in the post-COVID era presents new challenges to legal principles, necessitating legitimate and constitutional justifications.&#x0D; Despite the fact that various disease control measures utilizing Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies would not have been easily accepted under normal circumstances, they have been widely adopted and utilized under the public interest pretext of combating the pandemic during emergency legislative and administrative measures. While specific and concrete rules are most commonly employed in regular times, the pandemic has led to an increase in general disposals, extensive use of regulatory orders beyond legal mandates, and the deployment of administrative rules and guidelines without sufficient authorization considerations. These legislative and administrative measures, as tools in the fight against COVID-19, often failed to adequately reflect the demands of rule-of-law. Particularly, the pandemic has paved the way for the unprecedented use of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies in this new normal era, necessitating continuous consideration of rule-of-law principles.&#x0D; From a legal theory perspective, a balanced approach is required in weighing safety and freedom, safety and discrimination, and permissible risks, harmonizing these within a risk society where science and technology challenge existing norms. Although the use of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and enhanced vaccination efforts have enabled us to emerge from the dire pandemic, continuous legislative and administrative efforts are needed to address the deepening digital divide.&#x0D; From a policy perspective, a critical view has been developed regarding specific measures, discussing improvements and alternatives. Topics include fine-tuning rule-of-law in response to disease control measures, adjusting to the dominance of algorithms, restoring normalcy and fundamental rights, the resilient recovery of markets, overcoming the limits of traditional regulations, utilizing self-regulation and regulated self-regulation, addressing new challenges related to various epidemic measures, data privacy, and Big Brother concerns.&#x0D; As we move from pandemic to endemic, the tasks of rule-of-law in this era are evolving. Emergency legal and administrative measures need to be re-evaluated under normal rule-of-law standards. This paper has analyzed various measures in response to the pandemic and endemic situations from legal theory and policy perspectives, arguing the need for ongoing contemplation and policy efforts towards new challenges of rule-of-law.

Gender Politics and Performing for Fame in Big Brother Nigeria Reality Show

Gender Politics and Performing for Fame in Big Brother Nigeria Reality Show

Cyber Surveillance and Privacy Issues vis-à-vis International Law

The ‘Big Brother is Watching’, is now a trend that is prevalent in the society where the unregulated and unfiltered monitoring of data and interception has led to interference with the privacy rights of the individuals. The background to the concept may not be expressly seen in text but the context of privacy be protected can be seen in legal instruments such as United Nations Declaration on Human Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Though, the legal jurisprudence has also taken sides for placing community interest over individual interest but has often been deficient in providing objective reasonings and justifications. When the privacy and the human rights are interfered with, no one but the State should own the responsibility. The contours of this responsibility have been circumscribed by the existing international legal instruments, but their effectiveness is compromised because of their non-binding characteristics. The paper outlines the importance of regulating mass surveillance, secret surveillance, cyber espionage, cyber attacks etc. and has facilitated a discussion of establishing a pattern of standardized norms in line with human rights obligations catalyzed by cyber diplomacy, which can easily be adopted by States. The paper is Analytical and descriptive in nature. The question will always be debatable when it comes to States exercising their right of surveillance for maintaining law and order and upholding the security of the nation being violative of individual rights. So, whether the States are able to strike a balance between State authority and Fundamental rights of the individuals? Whether the proportionality that is exhibited is justifiable? The uncontrollable parasitic attack on digital communications, without reasonable suspicion is excessive, arbitrary and abusive. There is a need not only for a structured legal framework but also procedural safeguards, oversight mechanisms and redressal forums.

Soviet Legacy of Vietnam's Intellectual Property Law: Big Brother is (No Longer) Watching You

AbstractHow did intellectual property (IP), a private right born out of European Enlightenment ideals, take root in Vietnam's socialist legal framework, and what influence does Vietnam's Soviet legacy still have on its IP law? The clandestine triumph of IP rights in Vietnam is remarkable, given the system's former propensity for collective ownership and limited private property rights. Vietnam's approach to IP rights has changed with economic liberalisation: while external pressure prompted the initial adoption of IP laws, national interest and global reputation enhancement are now driving the effort. At the height of communism in the 1980s and under Soviet domination, IP laws reflected socialist ideology and the characteristics of a command economy. Amid Vietnam's quest for technological advancement, the importance of patents has grown. However, public perceptions of the unreliability of the legal system to resolve IP disputes persist, pushing civil disputes towards the government rather than the judiciary. As Vietnam opened economically, its IP regime moved away from overt communism, but communist values are still implicitly incorporated in general principles. Today, adherence to free trade agreements, which require robust IP protection, is driving the modernisation of Vietnam's IP infrastructure.

Big Brother ‘Titans’ Show and Cable Subscription: A Case Study of GOTV Subscribers in Uyo

This study explored the impact of the popular reality TV show, Big Brother 'Titans', on cable subscriptions among GOTV subscribers in Uyo. A survey questionnaire was distributed among a representative sample of 322 GOTV subscribers in Uyo, focusing on their viewership habits, motivations for subscribing to GOTV, and the influence of Big Brother 'Titans' on their subscription decisions. The findings revealed that Big Brother 'Titans' has a significant impact on the cable subscription patterns of GOTV subscribers in Uyo. The majority of respondents reported watching the show regularly and acknowledged that it was a primary reason for their subscription. The captivating nature of the show, coupled with its interactive elements and the sense of community it fostered, emerged as key motivators for maintaining their GOTV subscriptions. The study concluded that "Big Brother Titans" show has become a major draw for viewers, prompting them to opt for cable subscriptions that offer access to the show. This demonstrates the power of compelling content in shaping consumer behavior and influencing market dynamics. Furthermore, the study recommended that GOTV should offer flexible subscription packages: This can include the ability to add or remove channels based on individual preferences. By allowing subscribers to customize their cable package, they can ensure access to the Big Brother Titans show without being constrained by unnecessary channels or costs.

The construction of self-sovereign identity: Extending the interpretive flexibility of technology towards institutions

Ever-growing concerns over ‘Big Brother’ continue driving individuals towards user-centric identity management systems. Nascent innovations are framed as offering Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI). Because of the association with value-laden ideals and technical components like blockchain, SSI is caught up with both hype and idiosyncrasy. Competing interpretations of SSI damage the public discourse and risk misrepresenting affordances these systems might offer. Based on a qualitative inductive interview study and document analysis, this article extrapolates a constructivist theoretical frame – the Extended Model of Interpretive Flexibility – which combines insights from the Social Construction of Technology and the Structurational Model of Technology. The Extended Model of Interpretive Flexibility highlights malleability in the technical implementations and social representations, which in turn is affected by and influences institutional properties around SSI. This research further offers implications for practice around the implementation of SSI, in particular regarding policy, management, and design. For theory on public sector information systems, the proposed model has generalizable potential for the analysis of socio-technical systems and offers future research directions.

Social Change and the Big Brother Nigeria Fandom: Implication on National Values

There is a wide variety of reality shows in Africa. In this era of globalization, modern media had brought about social change and Africa's indigenous moral values and socio-cultural norms were in deep crisis. Reality shows in Africa have deepened this crisis. The moral values of decency, chastity, celibacy, and communion were sacrificed on the altar of promiscuity, romance, prostitution, and individualism. It follows from this that young Africans who form the media base of reality shows have been exposed to non-African values. Building on this publication, this study seeks to investigate the influence of Big Brother Nigeria on Nigerian national values. The study is an attempt to show how modern media has brought about social change among Nigerian youth. The study is a qualitative research that relies mainly on secondary sources for data collection and analysis. The article adopted cultivation theory to describe how BB Naija's immoral scenes negatively affected the fan community. The document concluded that the modernization of African media has not only eroded fundamental African values, but has also negatively affected national development

Trouble with big brother: Counterproductive consequences of electronic monitoring through the erosion of leader‐member social exchange

SummaryChanging workplace dynamics have led employers to increasingly adopt electronic monitoring technologies so supervisors can observe and ensure employee compliance and productivity—outcomes the monitoring literature has long supported. Yet, employee productivity depends on strong leader–member social exchange, and the relational consequences of electronic monitoring for supervisor and employee are not well understood. To help resolve this tension within the monitoring literature and add understanding in regard to the effects of electronic monitoring on employee productivity, we use social exchange theory to examine the implications of electronic monitoring for the supervisor–employee exchange relationship. We theorize that electronic monitoring facilitates (rather than inhibits) production deviance and inhibits (rather than facilitates) task performance by undermining the exchange of social benefits and, consequently, eroding leader–member social exchange. Yet, we also hypothesize that supervisors who give performance monitoring data back to employees in a developmental way (i.e., developmental feedback) compensate for the loss of certain social benefits, and, thereby, buffer the negative relational consequences of electronic monitoring. Across an experimental online study and a field study, we find converging support for our predictions and rule out alternative explanations. This research provides timely insights into how to effectively use electronic monitoring without promoting unintended consequences.

The Ripple Effect of Mentorship: A Cross-Case Analysis of Five Rural, Latine Youth

ABSTRACT The literature on mentorship centralizes formal mentoring programs with hired and trained staff and volunteers to work with at-promise youth of color at school- or community-based sites such as Big Brothers Big Sisters or smaller localized programs; however, these programs are not always available in rural areas. This multiple case study explores the phenomenon of naturally-occurring mentorships among Latine, gang-affiliated youth to evaluate what mentorship is and how mentoring relationships are cultivated and sustained. The research draws on fieldnotes, 300 hours of observations, eight three-phase semi-structured interviews with mentoring pairs, and written and pictorial evidence of the socio-political climate of the community confirmed through 20 semi-structured interviews with community leaders and elders. The study’s findings apply elements of aspirational, navigational, and resilient cultural wealth according to Yosso’s (2005) Community Cultural Wealth framework and were member-checked by mentoring participants. The findings suggest that a mentor can be an individual holding familial space in the mentee’s life; while the act of mentorship entails listening attentively, providing advice based on personal experiences, supporting the mentee in “getting out” of their hometown, and speaking one’s truth even if it is difficult to hear.

Family caregiver readiness to adopt smart home technology to monitor care-Dependent older adults: A qualitative exploratory study.

The aim of this study was to explore factors that influence family caregiver readiness to adopt health smart home technology for their care-dependent older adult family member. Health smart homes are designed to remotely monitor the health and wellness of community-dwelling older adults supporting independent living for as long as possible. Accordingly, if the health smart home is deployed into the home of a care-depended older adult, it can potentially support family caregivers by facilitating workforce participation and give piece of mind to the family caregiver who may not live close to the older adult. However, wider adoption of health smart home technologies into the homes of community-older adults is low, and little is known about the factors that influence the readiness of family caregivers to adopt smart home technologies for their care-dependent older adults. A qualitative Descriptive study design was utilized. Qualitative data were collected between 2019 and 2020 via semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis of interviews was completed, and data were organized into themes. Study findings show that caregiver readiness (N = 10) to adopt smart home technology to monitor older adult family members were influenced by five primary themes including a 'big brother effect', 'framing for acceptance', 'data privacy', 'burden' and 'cost.' Family caregivers were open to adopting smart home technology to support the independent living of their older adult family members. However, the readiness of family caregivers was inextricably linked to the older adults' readiness for smart home adoption. The family caregiver's primary concern was on how they could frame the idea of the smart home to overcome what they viewed as hesitancy to adopt in the older adult. The findings suggest that family caregivers endeavour to balance the hesitancy in their older adult family members with the potential benefits of smart home technology. Family caregivers could benefit if their care-dependent older adults adopt smart home technology. Recognizing the role of caregivers and their perspectives on using smart home technologies with their care-dependents is critical to the meaningful design, use and adoption.