Surveillance Practices Research Articles

К ВОПРОСУ ПРИМЕНЕНИЯ ЗАКОНА АБЕРРАЦИИ В РАДИОНАВИГАЦИИ И АВИАЦИОННОМ НАБЛЮДЕНИИ

The author analyzes the potential use of the aberration law which describes the deviation of measured parameters of an observed object as it changes its position relative to the observer. The law was studied in terms of its application in radio navigation and aircraft surveillance. During research the author obtained dependences of deviations of observable and real (true) characteristics of an observed object for such aids of radio-technical support of flights as a primary radar, distance measuring equipment (DME) and a ground station of automatic dependent surveillance. In doing so, the speed of the observed object was set equal to 250 m/s (typical for existing airplanes) and 600 m/s (specific for perspective supersonic airplanes). It follows from the calculations that the aberration effect cannot be detected for determining slant range or pulse duration tasks due to the imperfection of the existing measuring instruments. However, the aberration effect can be detected in the tasks of determining the time interval between probing pulses of the primary radar or automatic dependent surveillance messages, as well as in the determination of the frequency of the DME signal. This is achieved due to a sufficiently large dynamic range of the measured values. For the method of evaluating the aberration effect given in the paper the author performed estimation of the sensitivity to the errors of the measured value and the velocity of the observed object. The research confirmed possibility to apply the law of aberration in practice for radio navigation aids and aircraft surveillance, which can increase accuracy of position-fixing and determination of aircraft movement parameters as well as to expand capabilities of the available equipment.

Repercussões da pandemia no desenvolvimento infantil e nas ações dos visitadores do Programa Criança Feliz

Abstract Objective to apprehend the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on child development and on the actions of the Happy Child Program visitors. Method qualitative research, anchored in Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Theory of Human Development, with eight visitors from the aforementioned program, in a city in Paraíba. Data were collected from January to June 2021, using a semi-structured script, with interviews recorded and processed by IRAMUTEQ, which were later analyzed according to the Descending Hierarchical Classification (Reinert's method), and the Bardin's Content Analysis framework. Results the repercussions of the pandemic limit the actions to promote child development by visitors, by hindering interaction with families surrounded by the fear of contracting the disease, incurring a break in the connection between visitors and family, a delay or absence of return of activities by families, feelings such as fear, discouragement, frustration, aggressiveness and attachment to screens as barriers to the continuity of child monitoring. Final considerations and implications for practice learning about the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on the development of children assisted by the Happy Child Program, provided an opportunity to reflect upon the strategies necessary to enhance Nursing practice in development surveillance and stimulation actions for comprehensive child health care.

Baseline Inappropriate Antibiotic Use in Primary Care Patients with Viral Respiratory Tract Infections with 2019 and 2020.

Context: Respiratory tract infection (RTI) is the leading cause of avoidable antimicrobial use in primary care. How the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted antibiotic prescribing practices across Canada is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine rates of antibiotic prescribing for RTI in primary care during the first year of the pandemic (2020), compared to baseline in 2019. Study Design and Analysis: Cross sectional study. Dataset: Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network electronic medical record data from sites in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Population Studied: Patients that met the case definition criteria for an RTI or a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) in 2019, and in 2020. Outcome measures: We examined oral antibiotic prescribing for patients who were identified as having a primary care visit for RTI. The same analysis was repeated for urinary tract infection (UTI) as a tracer condition. The antibiotic use considered avoidable for RTI was defined by Choosing Wisely Canada. Results: A total of 1,692,876 patients with a valid birth year and sex and at least one visit to primary care in 2019 and 2020 were included. Patient visits for RTI decreased from 2.3% in 2019 to 1.6% in 2020 (p<.0001), as did patient visits for UTI (1.1% vs 0.7%, p<.0001). In 2019, 28.0% of patients visits for RTI were prescribed an antibiotic, and this proportion decreased significantly to 20.6% in 2020 (<.0001). The drop in antibiotic prescriptions for RTI was driven by a decrease in prescribing for common cold (13.6% vs. 11.3%, <.0001) and for acute bronchitis/asthma (15.2% vs. 7.3%, p<.0001). In comparison, antibiotic prescribing for visits related to UTI increased marginally between 2019 and 2020 (71.6% vs. 72.3%, p=0.007). Conclusions: A significant decrease in antibiotic prescribing for RTI across primary care was observed during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, likely related to the changes in epidemiology and care delivery models in primary care. CPCSSN can provide pan-Canadian surveillance of antibiotic prescribing practices in primary care that can be used for provider feedback and quality improvement.

Trajectories of medication use and polypharmacy among children with cerebral palsy.

BACKGROUND: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) may have chronic exposure to polypharmacy to address several medical needs, but there is little research on the topic to inform surveillance methods and clinical practice. OBJECTIVE: To identify the trajectories of medication number and pediatric polypharmacy (≥2 concurrent medications) exposure over 3.5 years among children with CP. METHODS: This cohort study used commercial claims from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2018 (4-year period). Children with CP, aged 5-18 years by January 1, 2016, and with continuous health plan enrollment for all 4 years, were included and categorized as with or without co-occurring neurological/ RESULTS: Of the 1,252 children with CP, 600 were in the CP only cohort (mean [SD]; age, 11.4 [4.1] years; 46.0% female) and 652 were in the CP + NDDs cohort (age, 11.9 [4.1] years; 41.3% female; 32.7% had ≥2 of the NDDs). For the primary GBTM, 3 trajectory groups were identified for CP only: on average, no prescribed medications (69.7% of the cohort), 1 medication/month (24.8%), and 4 medications/month (5.5%). Five trajectory groups were identified for CP + NDDs: 0 (22.4%), 1 (25.6%), 2 (25.2%), 4 (18.4%), and 6 (8.4%) prescribed medications/month. For the secondary GBTM, 3 trajectory groups were identified for CP only: 80.5% were characterized as negligible probability of polypharmacy exposure, 10.8% as low probability, and 8.7% as high probability. Five trajectory groups were identified for CP + NDDs: 37.9% as negligible probability of polypharmacy exposure, 32.8% as constantly high probability, and 29.2% as changing probability (eg, increasing/decreasing). CONCLUSIONS: Children with CP are chronically exposed to differing levels of polypharmacy. Findings can help establish polypharmacy surveillance practices. Studies need to determine if polypharmaceutical strategies are balanced to optimize health and development for children with CP. DISCLOSURES: Dr Whitney is supported by the University of Michigan Office of Health Equity and Inclusion Diversity Fund. The funding source had no role in the design or conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, or interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

Molecular Surveillance of Malaria Using the PF AmpliSeq Custom Assay for Plasmodium falciparum Parasites from Dried Blood Spot DNA Isolates from Peru.

Malaria molecular surveillance has great potential to support national malaria control programs (NMCPs), informing policy for its control and elimination. Here, we present a new three-day workflow for targeted resequencing of markers in 13 resistance-associated genes, histidine rich protein 2 and 3 (hrp2&3), a country (Peru)-specific 28 SNP-barcode for population genetic analysis, and apical membrane antigen 1 (ama1), using Illumina short-read sequencing technology. The assay applies a multiplex PCR approach to amplify all genomic regions of interest in a rapid and easily standardizable procedure and allows simultaneous amplification of a high number of targets at once, therefore having great potential for implementation into routine surveillance practice by NMCPs. The assay can be performed on routinely collected filter paper blood spots and can be easily adapted to different regions to investigate either regional trends or in-country epidemiological changes.

‘I started seeing shadows everywhere’: The diverse chilling effects of surveillance in Zimbabwe

Recent years have witnessed growing ubiquity and potency of state surveillance measures with heightened implications for human rights and social justice. While impacts of surveillance are routinely framed through ‘privacy’ narratives, emphasising ‘chilling effects’ surfaces a more complex range of harms and rights implications for those who are, or believe they are, subjected to surveillance. Although first emphasised during the McCarthy era, surveillance ‘chilling effects’ remain under-researched, particularly in Africa. Drawing on rare interview data from participants subjected to state-sponsored surveillance in Zimbabwe, the paper reveals complex assemblages of state and non-state actors involved in diverse and expansive hybrid online–offline monitoring. While scholarship has recently emphasised the importance of large-scale digital mass surveillance, the Zimbabwean context reveals complex assemblages of ‘big data’, social media and other digital monitoring combining with more traditional human surveillance practices. Such inseparable online–offline imbrications compound the scale, scope and impact of surveillance and invite analyses as an integrated ensemble. The paper evidences how these surveillance activities exert chilling effects that vary in form, scope and intensity, and implicate rights essential to the development of personal identity and effective functioning of participatory democracy. Moreover, the data reveals impacts beyond the individual to the vicarious and collective. These include gendered dimensions, eroded interpersonal trust and the depleted ability of human rights defenders to organise and particulate in democratic processes. Overall, surveillance chilling effects exert a wide spectrum of outcomes which consequently interfere with enjoyment of multiple rights and hold both short- and long-term implications for democratic participation.

Surveillance Outcomes in Patients With a Family History ofColorectal Cancer in Both Parents.

A family history of colorectal cancer (CRC) in a first-degree relative is a well-established risk factor for CRC. When individuals have 2 parents with CRC, the impact on risk is uncertain, and there are no established guidelines for surveillance. We sought to define the surveillance practices and outcomes in individuals with a family history of CRC in both parents. We identified probands with a family history of CRC in both parents from our Hereditary Gastrointestinal Cancer Database. Charts were retrospectively reviewed for colonoscopy surveillance patterns and incidence of adenomas and CRC. Sixty-six patients met the inclusion criteria. Forty-two patients (64%) had genetic testing, and no pathogenic germline mutations were identified. During a mean surveillance period of 144 ± 82.2 months and a mean surveillance interval of 33.4 ± 16.6 months, a total of 3.2 ± 8.9 adenomas were found per patient. These were small (median 6.5 mm), and 96% exhibited only low-grade dysplasia. Six patients (9%) were diagnosed with CRC at a mean age of 61.5 ± 11.3 years, corresponding to an incidence rate of 14 cases/10,000 person-years. Patients with CRC were older at first colonoscopy than those without cancer (59 vs 46 years, P= .03), and half of these cases were diagnosed at this first colonoscopy. Among patients with a family history of CRC in both parents, cases of CRC were seen primarily in those who significantly delayed their first colonoscopy. Initiation of colonoscopy at age 40 should be recommended to individuals with CRC in both parents, consistent with recommendations for those with 1 first-degree relative with CRC.

Breast surveillance practices for BRCA1 / 2 pathogenic variant carriers

Breast surveillance practices for <i>BRCA1 / 2</i> pathogenic variant carriers

Syndromic surveillance in early detection of outbreaks of infectious diseases

Aim: Motivated by the threat of infectious diseases and bioterrorism, syndromic surveillance systems are being developed and implemented around the world. The aim of the study was to describe the early warning surveillance system in Albania.Methods: Syndromic surveillance is a primary health care-facility- and emergency room (ER)-based syndromic surveillance system aiming at detecting outbreaks and undertaking public health actions. It is based on weekly notifications of nine syndromes by over 1,600 General Practitioners (GPs) in the 36 districts of Albania. Data is aggregated by district epidemiologists (DE) and centralized by the national Institute of Public Health.Results: A syndrome is “a set of symptoms or conditions that occur together and suggest the presence of a certain disease or an increased chance of developing the disease.” In the context of syndromic surveillance, a syndrome is a set of non-specific pre-diagnosis medical and other information that may indicate the release of a bioterrorism agent or natural disease outbreak.Since its inception, syndromic surveillance has mainly focused on early event detection: gathering and analysing data in advance of diagnostic case confirmation to give early warning of a possible outbreak.Conclusion: The system is useful for detecting and responding to natural disease outbreaks such as seasonal and pandemic flu, and thus they have the potential to significantly advance and modernize the practice of public health surveillance.

Surveillance and Security in Immigrant Detention Centres in Poland. An Overview of Key Technologies and Practices

Guarded Centres for Foreigners are the key instrument of detention policy in Poland. They are often considered as one of the key and at the same time most secretive forms of securitization and criminalization of foreigners. With panoptical practices of (in)direct observation and robust electronic surveillance the centres are tasked with containing and producing a (self)disciplined, knowable, governable and deportable immigrant, who can be swiftly expelled from the Polish territory. Building on ethnographic research, including interviews and photographic material, this article explores specific practices and technologies of surveillance in Polish detention centres by describing and discussing how they are deployed by detention personnel. It overviews different types of direct surveillance (e.g direct observation, counting, inspection), at the same time discussing the role of monitoring technologies, which have significantly influenced the practices and spaces of detention. The article concludes that further development of electronic surveillance in the Polish guarded centres may be inevitable and lead to further “panopticonization” of detention in Poland.

Justification of panopticon in superhero movies: The Batman Movie

The French Philosopher Michel Foucault argues that power extends to all areas at the micro level in Bentham's Panopticon theory, which was inspired by the architectural design of the Panopticon. He extends this metaphor to speak of Panoptisism as a social phenomenon used to discipline workforces through implicit strategies. Like Bentham, he does not limit his panoptic rhetoric to a mere prison setting, but instead applies it to schools, mental hospitals, hospitals and factories. The panopticon basically ensures the ubiquity of power by seeing it unseen. This article aims to reveal how panoptiism, a particular mode of disciplinary power used by Foucault, is normalized in superhero films. When surveillance and gaze practices are approached from the point of view of cinema; the question of how the gaze is positioned through the camera, where and through whose eyes the audience is looking, arises. The narrator of The Batman (2022) is Batman, and the narrative begins with the superhero reading his diary. In the film, it is determined that Gotham city has been transformed into a panoptic universe and Batman, who watches over this universe, is in the position of a guard.

Variability in surveillance practice for patients with diagnosis of bicuspid aortic valve syndrome

In patients with bicuspid aortic valves, guidelines call for regular follow-up to monitor disease progression and guide intervention. We aimed to evaluate how closely these recommendations are followed at a tertiary care center. Among 48,504 patients who received echocardiograms (2013–2018) at a tertiary care center, 245 patients were identified to have bicuspid aortic valve. Bivariate analyses compared characteristics between patients who did and did not receive follow-up by a cardiovascular specialist. During a median follow-up of 3.5 ± 2.2 years (mean age 55.2 ± 15.6 years, 30.2% female), 72.7% of patients had at least one visit with a cardiovascular specialist after diagnosis of bicuspid aortic valve. These patients had a higher proportion of surveillance by echocardiogram (78.7% vs. 34.3%, p < .0001), CT or MRI (41.0% vs. 3.0%, p < .0001), and were more likely to undergo surgery. Patients with moderate-severe valvular or aortic pathology were not more likely to be followed by a specialist or receive follow-up echocardiograms. Follow-up care for patients with bicuspid aortic valve was highly variable, and surveillance imaging was sparse despite guidelines. There is an urgent need for mechanisms to monitor this population with increased risk of progressive valvulopathy and aortopathy.

Representativeness, Vaccination Uptake, and COVID-19 Clinical Outcomes 2020-2021 in the UK Oxford-Royal College of General Practitioners Research and Surveillance Network: Cohort Profile Summary

The Oxford-Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Research and Surveillance Centre (RSC) is one of Europe's oldest sentinel systems, working with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and its predecessor bodies for 55 years. Its surveillance report now runs twice weekly, supplemented by online observatories. In addition to conducting sentinel surveillance from a nationally representative group of practices, the RSC is now also providing data for syndromic surveillance. The aim of this study was to describe the cohort profile at the start of the 2021-2022 surveillance season and recent changes to our surveillance practice. The RSC's pseudonymized primary care data, linked to hospital and other data, are held in the Oxford-RCGP Clinical Informatics Digital Hub, a Trusted Research Environment. We describe the RSC's cohort profile as of September 2021, divided into a Primary Care Sentinel Cohort (PCSC)-collecting virological and serological specimens-and a larger group of syndromic surveillance general practices (SSGPs). We report changes to our sampling strategy that brings the RSC into alignment with European Centre for Disease Control guidance and then compare our cohort's sociodemographic characteristics with Office for National Statistics data. We further describe influenza and COVID-19 vaccine coverage for the 2020-2021 season (week 40 of 2020 to week 39 of 2021), with the latter differentiated by vaccine brand. Finally, we report COVID-19-related outcomes in terms of hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and death. As a response to COVID-19, the RSC grew from just over 500 PCSC practices in 2019 to 1879 practices in 2021 (PCSC, n=938; SSGP, n=1203). This represents 28.6% of English general practices and 30.59% (17,299,780/56,550,136) of the population. In the reporting period, the PCSC collected >8000 virology and >23,000 serology samples. The RSC population was broadly representative of the national population in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, National Health Service Region, socioeconomic status, obesity, and smoking habit. The RSC captured vaccine coverage data for influenza (n=5.4 million) and COVID-19, reporting dose one (n=11.9 million), two (n=11 million), and three (n=0.4 million) for the latter as well as brand-specific uptake data (AstraZeneca vaccine, n=11.6 million; Pfizer, n=10.8 million; and Moderna, n=0.7 million). The median (IQR) number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions was 1181 (559-1559) and 115 (50-174) per week, respectively. The RSC is broadly representative of the national population; its PCSC is geographically representative and its SSGPs are newly supporting UKHSA syndromic surveillance efforts. The network captures vaccine coverage and has expanded from reporting primary care attendances to providing data on onward hospital outcomes and deaths. The challenge remains to increase virological and serological sampling to monitor the effectiveness and waning of all vaccines available in a timely manner.

Seeking Liberation: Surveillance, Datafication, and Race

Critical data studies, a body of emergent research that draws on surveillance studies and other fields, investigates datafication, the increasing mediation of many forms of sociality by data-intensive, networked computation. Such research draws on well-trodden criticisms of the representational capacities of data and has recently offered the term “data justice” to direct this scholarly formation toward the harms of datafication. By failing to explicitly foreground the way that the capture and consultation of data constitutes a tactic by which the state sorts, controls, and limits the freedom of minoritized peoples, critical data studies substitutes an interest in describing forms of injustice for a commitment toward its undoing. I use McKittrick’s (2021) term “seeking liberation” to orient both surveillance studies and critical data studies scholarship away from mere description of the practices of data-intensive computation and surveillance and toward a shared project of justice for minoritized peoples.

632. Donor-Derived Mollicute Infections in Lung Transplant Recipients: a Prospective Study of Donor Respiratory Tract Screening and Recipient Outcomes

Abstract Background Mollicutes, such as Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma spp, are fastidious bacteria that can cause invasive donor-derived infections in lung transplant recipients. Best practices for donor screening and recipient surveillance for Mollicute infections are unknown. This study assessed the performance of donor respiratory tract screening for Mollicutes. Methods We prospectively analyzed all lung transplant surgeries performed 10/5/20 – 9/25/21 at a single transplant center. Donor bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) performed at time of procurement was tested for presence of urogenital Mycoplasmas and Ureaplasma spp. using culture and PCR. Treating clinicians were blinded to these results. Post-transplant recipient evaluation was performed at the discretion of the treating clinicians, who maintained a high index of suspicion for Mollicute infection. Mollicute cases were defined as recipients with any post-transplant culture or PCR that detected a Mollicute. We analyzed recipient outcomes and assessed the performance of donor BAL screening in predicting recipient Mollicute cases. Results In total, 115 patients underwent lung transplant. Of this cohort, 99 (86%) donors had adequate BAL samples for Mollicute testing via both culture and PCR. 8/99 (8%) donors had culture-positive samples, and 15/99 (15%) had PCR-positive samples for Mollicutes. Among the 99 corresponding recipients, 9 (9%) patients met the Mollicute case definition (Figure 1). These recipients were diagnosed a median of 6 days after transplant (IQR 4-15 days). 6 patients had pulmonary Mollicute detection alone, and 3 had invasive extrapulmonary thoracic infections. The only death was unrelated (Table 1). Donor BAL culture sensitivity was 6/9 (67%) in predicting recipient Mollicute cases, and sensitivity of PCR was 5/9 (56%). Positive predictive value (PPV) was 6/8 (75%) for donor culture and 5/15 (33%) for PCR (Table 2). Figure 1Clinical courses of 9 lung transplant recipients who acquired post-transplant Mycoplasma hominis or Ureaplasma species. Table 1 Characteristics of 9 lung transplant recipients who acquired post-transplant Mycoplasma hominis or Ureaplasma species. Table 2 Performance of donor bronchoalveolar lavage screening methods in predicting Mollicute acquisition among 99 lung transplant recipients. Conclusion In our single center cohort, donor BAL screening via culture predicted all serious recipient Mollicute infections and had better PPV than PCR. Given limitations of either screening method, clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for Mollicute infection after lung transplant to facilitate early diagnosis and effective treatment. Disclosures Barbara D. Alexander, MD, Astellas: Advisor/Consultant|HealthtrackRx: Advisor/Consultant|HealthtrackRx: Grant/Research Support|Scynexis: Grant/Research Support|UpToDate: Advisor/Consultant Arthur W. Baker, MD, MPH, Medincell: Advisor/Consultant.

Meram Devlet Hastanesi genel yoğun bakım ünitesinde gelişen sağlık hizmeti ilişkili enfeksiyonlarının değerlendirilmesi

Aim: Healthcare-associated infections are a major source of concern in all areas of hospitals, particularly in intensive care units. The goal of our study was to look at the current situation and evaluate the measures that can be taken based on the data obtained by examining the rates and factors of healthcare-associated infections in the general intensive care units of our hospital over a one-year period. Materials and Methods: Between January 2020 and December 2020, 665 patients who were followed up and treated in the general intensive care unit of Meram State Hospital were followed up in terms of healthcare-associated infections, and their outcomes were evaluated. Results: 5354 hospitalization days of 665 patients who were followed up in the general intensive care units for a year were evaluated, and it was determined that 53 of the patients developed healthcare-associated infections. Twenty-two (41.5%) of patients with healthcare-associated infections were female, while 31 (58.5%) were male. It was discovered that the patients' mean age was 71,7±14 (19-94). The infection rate was calculated to be 5.86 and the density to be 7.28. Furthermore, the rates of invasive device-associated nosocomial infection are as follows: 1.02 for central line-associated bloodstream infections, 0.56 for catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and 0 for ventilator-associated pneumonia. Conclusion: Healthcare-associated infections are a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in intensive care units. Due to the improvement in medical care and the increase in life expectancy in parallel with this, effective surveillance practices are of critical importance.

Recurrence Patterns for Regionally Metastatic Melanoma Treated in the Era of Adjuvant Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the timing and patterns of recurrence for patients with regionally metastatic melanoma on the basis of nodal management and receipt of adjuvant therapy. We identified randomized controlled trials and non-randomized studies published between 2010 and 2020 that reported timing and/or patterns of recurrence. We evaluated recurrence-free survival (RFS), location of recurrence, and surveillance strategy on the basis of receipt of adjuvant systemic therapy and nodal management with observation versus completion dissection. We compared differences in patterns of recurrence across studies using RevMan. RFS was evaluated graphically using point estimates and confidence intervals. Among the 19 publications, there was wide variation in study populations, imaging surveillance regimens, and format of recurrence reporting. Patterns of disease recurrence did not differ between adjuvant and placebo/observation groups. A total of 11 studies reported RFS at variable time intervals, which ranged in adjuvant therapy groups (38-88% at 1 year, 29-67% at 2 years, 33-58% at 3 years, and 34-53% at 5 years) and placebo/observation groups (47-63% at 1 year, 39-47% at 2 years, 33-68% at 3 years, and 57% at 5 years). Anti-PD-1 immune therapy and BRAF/MEK inhibitor therapy were superior to placebo at year 1. We found that adjuvant treatment improved RFS but did not alter the patterns of disease recurrence compared with patients managed without adjuvant systemic treatment. Future studies should separately report sites of disease recurrence on the basis of specific adjuvant systemic treatment and surveillance practices to better advise patients about their patterns and risk of recurrence.

Surveillance practices among migration officers: Online media and LGBTQ+ refugees

Examining Denmark as a case study, and focusing on LGBTQ+ asylum seekers in particular, this article investigates migration authorities’ use of online surveillance to assess claims for asylum. Drawing on interviews with migration officers and asylum seekers, the article describes how asylum seekers’ social media and phone content comes to determine whether they are seen as having a ‘genuine’ or a ‘fraudulent’ LGBTQ+ identity. The article further shows how surveillance implicates asylum seekers’ movement and (im)mobility, thereby ‘fixing’ their identities across time, preventing their ephemeral online engagement and, ultimately, affecting the outcome of their asylum claims. It also argues that the utilisation of surveillance technologies (for example, to review porn consumption and dating applications) favours gay (cis) men, while depriving lesbian, bisexual and transgender asylum seekers of opportunities to prove their identity.

Utilisation of a mitochondrial intergenic region for species differentiation of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in South Africa

BackgroundFruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) comprise species of agricultural and economic importance. Five such fruit fly species are known to affect commercial fruit production and export in South Africa: Ceratitis capitata, Ceratitis cosyra, Ceratitis rosa, Ceratitis quilicii, and Bactrocera dorsalis. Management practices for these pests include monitoring, application of pest control products, post-harvest disinfestation measures and inspection of consignments both prior to shipment and at ports of entry. In activities relating to monitoring and inspection, accurate identification of these pests to species level is required. While morphological keys for adult stages of these fruit fly species have been well developed, morphological keys for earlier life stages remain problematic. In instances where closely related species cannot be reliably distinguished morphologically, there is a need for molecular tools to assist in identifying these five fruit fly species during surveillance practices, where sequencing-based approaches would be beneficial.ResultsTwo complete mitochondrial genomes were assembled for each fruit fly species investigated using high throughput sequencing data generated in this study. A single primer set was designed to amplify a region between tRNAile and tRNAmet. The amplicon consists of a partial segment of tRNAile, intergenic region I (tRNAile - tRNAgln), the complete sequence of tRNAgln, intergenic region II (tRNAgln - tRNAmet), and a partial segment of tRNAmet. PCR amplicons were generated for 20 specimens of each species, five of which were colony adult males, five colony larvae, and 10 wild, trap-collected specimens. Upon analysis of the amplicon, intergenic region I was identified as the most informative region, allowing for unambiguous identification of the five fruit fly species. The similarity in intergenic region II was too high between C. rosa and C. quilicii for accurate differentiation of these species.ConclusionThe identity of all five fruit flies investigated in this study can be determined through sequence analysis of the mitochondrial intergenic regions. Within the target amplicon, intergenic region I (tRNAile - tRNAgln) shows interspecific variation sufficient for species differentiation based on multiple sequence alignment. The variation in the length of intergenic region I is proposed as a potential tool for accurately identifying these five fruit flies in South Africa.

Questioning the Dimensions of Digital Surveillance and Parental Supervision: YouTube Challenges and Video Recommendation System

The development of communication technologies and the active use of social media platforms have led to the fusion of the existing culture with the digital culture formed in this field. While digital culture enables individuals to transfer their norms and values to social media platforms, on the other hand, it has adapted its norms and values to daily culture. YouTube has become one of the main social media platforms on which this culture is especially based and where it is defined as participatory culture. It is thought that especially younger age groups are included in this culture and that provides an occasion for them to take part in surveillance practices by providing data to big data. In this study, to make sense of this situation, the theories of digital sociology and digital surveillance sociology were rethought and qualitative research was conducted to look at the ways in which children aged 9-13 are involved in big data. The study focuses on their YouTube practices, especially their experiences of the challenges connected with using YouTube and the video recommendation system, and suggests precautions where necessary. After conducting netnography on YouTube, the sample of the study was determined using purposeful sampling and snowball sampling techniques, and in-depth interviews were conducted with 23 children upon obtaining consent forms from their families. The findings of the research revealed that usage patterns of social media platforms and the resulting consequences can reach very dangerous levels and that the degree of parental supervision should be reconsidered.