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+ + + +Oestrogen Treatment for COVID-19 Symptoms - Condition: COVID-19
Intervention: Drug: Transdermal estradiol gel
Sponsors: Hamad Medical Corporation; Laboratoires Besins International
Not yet recruiting
Impact of GSE and Xylitol (Xlear) on COVID-19 Symptoms and Time to PCR Negativisation in COVID-19 Patients - Condition: Covid19
Intervention: Drug: GSE and Xylitol
Sponsor: Larkin Community Hospital
Recruiting
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) for Prevention of COVID-19 - Conditions: Covid19; COVID-19 Prevention
Interventions: Drug: Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ); Other: Standard care; Other: Placebo
Sponsor: Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research
Recruiting
Study to Evaluate a Single Dose of LTX-109 in Subjects With COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) Infection. - Condition: COVID-19
Interventions: Drug: LTX-109 gel, 3%; Drug: Placebo gel
Sponsors: Pharma Holdings AS; Clinical Trial Consultants AB
Recruiting
A Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (CHO Cell) for COVID-19 - Condition: COVID-19
Interventions: Biological: low-dose Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (CHO cell); Biological: high-dose Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (CHO cell); Biological: placebo
Sponsors: National Vaccine and Serum Institute, China; Lanzhou Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd; Beijing Zhong Sheng Heng Yi Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd.; Zhengzhou University
Not yet recruiting
Safety and Efficacy of Niclosamide in Patients With COVID-19 With Gastrointestinal Infection - Condition: Covid19
Interventions: Drug: Niclosamide; Drug: Placebo
Sponsor: AzurRx BioPharma, Inc.
Recruiting
A Immunobridging and Immunization Schedules Study of COVID-19 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated - Condition: Covid19
Interventions: Biological: 3-doses schedule 1 of COVID-19 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated; Biological: 3-doses schedule 2 of COVID-19 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated; Biological: 3-doses schedule 3 of COVID-19 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated; Biological: 2 doses of vaccine
Sponsors: China National Biotec Group Company Limited; Beijing Institute of Biological Products Co Ltd.
Not yet recruiting
Selenium as a Potential Treatment for Moderately-ill, Severely-ill, and Critically-ill COVID-19 Patients. - Condition: Covid19
Interventions: Drug: Selenium (as Selenious Acid); Other: Placebo
Sponsors: CHRISTUS Health; Pharco Pharmaceuticals
Not yet recruiting
Estradiol and Progesterone in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients - Condition: Covid19
Interventions: Other: Placebo injection and placebo pill; Drug: Estradiol Cypionate 5 MG/ML; Drug: Progesterone 200 MG Oral Capsule
Sponsor: Tulane University
Not yet recruiting
Detection of Covid-19 in Nasopharyngeal Swabs by Using Multi-Spectral Spectrophotometry - Condition: Covid19
Intervention: Diagnostic Test: AP-23
Sponsor: Fable Biyoteknoloji San ve Tic A.S
Recruiting
COVID-19 Vaccination Take-Up - Conditions: Covid19; Vaccination
Interventions: Behavioral: Financial incentives; Behavioral: Convenient scheduling link; Behavioral: Race concordant; Behavioral: Gender concordant
Sponsors: University of Southern California; Contra Costa Health Services; J-PAL North America, State and Local Innovation Initiative; National Bureau of Economic Research Roybal Center; National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Not yet recruiting
#SafeHandsSafeHearts: An eHealth Intervention for COVID-19 Prevention and Support - Condition: Covid19
Intervention: Behavioral: eHealth for Covid-19 prevention and support
Sponsor: University of Toronto
Recruiting
Safety and Immunogenicity of Demi-dose of Two Covid-19 mRNA Vaccines in Healthy Population - Condition: Covid19
Intervention: Diagnostic Test: immunogenicity after first and second dose
Sponsors: Sciensano; Mensura EDPB; Institute of Tropical Medicine, Belgium; Erasme University Hospital
Not yet recruiting
Remdesivir Efficacy In Management Of COVID-19 Patients - Condition: Covid19
Interventions: Drug: Remdesivir; Drug: Standard of care_1; Drug: Standard of care_2
Sponsor: Ain Shams University
Completed
PROphylaxis for paTiEnts at Risk of COVID-19 infecTion -V - Condition: Covid19
Interventions: Drug: Niclosamide; Drug: Placebo
Sponsors: Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; LifeArc; Kidney Research UK (KRUK); UNION therapeutics; Addenbrookes Charitable Trust
Recruiting
Complement inhibition in severe COVID-19 - Blocking C5a seems to be key: Author’s reply - No abstract
Experimental and natural evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection-induced activation of type I interferon responses - Type I interferons (IFNs) are our first line of defence against virus infection. Recent studies have suggested the ability of SARS-CoV-2 proteins to inhibit IFN responses. Emerging data also suggest that timing and extent of IFN production is associated with manifestation of COVID-19 severity. In spite of progress in understanding how SARS-CoV-2 activates antiviral responses, mechanistic studies into wildtype SARS-CoV-2-mediated induction and inhibition of human type I IFN responses are scarce….
Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Analysis of the Immunometabolic Rewiring and Immunopathogenesis of Coronavirus Disease 2019 - Although immune dysfunction is a key feature of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the metabolism-related mechanisms remain elusive. Here, by reanalyzing single-cell RNA sequencing data, we delineated metabolic remodeling in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to elucidate the metabolic mechanisms that may lead to the progression of severe COVID-19. After scoring the metabolism-related biological processes and signaling pathways, we found that mono-CD14^(+) cells expressed higher levels…
SARS-CoV-2 Infection Induces Psoriatic Arthritis Flares and Enthesis Resident Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Type-1 Interferon Inhibition by JAK Antagonism Offer Novel Spondyloarthritis Pathogenesis Insights - CONCLUSION: Entheseal pDCs link microbes to TNF/IFNα production. SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with PsA Flares and JAK inhibition suppressed activated entheseal plasmacytoid dendritic Type-1 interferon responses as pointers towards a novel mechanism of PsA and SpA-related arthropathy.
From Resilience to Burnout in Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Emergency: The Role of the Ability to Tolerate Uncertainty - The COVID-19 outbreak has placed extraordinary demands upon healthcare systems worldwide. Italy’s hospitals have been among the most severely overwhelmed, and as a result, Italian healthcare workers’ (HCWs) well-being has been at risk. The aim of this study is to explore the relationships between dimensions of burnout and various psychological features among Italian healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 emergency. A group of 267 HCWs from a hospital in the Lazio Region completed…
Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase as a Target of Cardiac Glycosides for the Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 Infection - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), identified for the first time in Wuhan, China, causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which moved from epidemic status to becoming a pandemic. Since its discovery in December 2019, there have been countless cases of mortality and morbidity due to this virus. Several compounds such as chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir-ritonavir, and remdesivir have been tested as potential therapies; however, no effective treatment is…
Therapeutic development by repurposing drugs targeting SARS-CoV-2 spike protein interactions by simulation studies - The human-to-human transmitted respiratory illness in COVID-19 affected by the pathogenic Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which appeared in the last of December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and rapidly spread in many countries. Thereon, based on the urgent need for therapeutic molecules, we conducted in silico based docking and simulation molecular interaction studies on repurposing drugs, targeting SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Further, the best binding energy of doxorubicin…
Modelling studies reveal the importance of the C-terminal inter motif loop of NSP1 as a promising target site for drug discovery and screening of potential phytochemicals to combat SARS-CoV-2 - COVID-19 pandemic causative SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is still rapid in progression and transmission even after a year. Understanding the viral transmission and impeding the replication process within human cells are considered as the vital point to control and overcome COVID-19 infection. Non-structural Protein 1, one among the proteins initially produced upon viral entry into human cells, instantly binds with the human ribosome and inhibit the host translation process by preventing the mRNA…
Bile acids LCA and CDCA inhibited porcine deltacoronavirus replication in vitro - Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is an emerging enteric coronavirus that causes gastroenteritis in pigs and no vaccines or antiviral drugs are available. Bile acids are active factors in intestines and influence the replication of enteric viruses. Currently, the role of bile acids on PDCoV replication is unknown. In this study, we tested the effects of different types of bile acids on the replication of PDCoV in cell culture. We found that physiological concentrations of bile acids…
Reconstitution and functional characterization of SARS-CoV-2 proofreading complex - The novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19) has led to a world-wild pandemic. The replication of SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome involves the core replication-transcription complex (RTC, nsp12-nsp7-nsp8) and the proofreading complex (nsp14-nsp10) that can correct mismatched base pairs during replication. Structures and functions of SARS-CoV-2 RTC have been actively studied, yet little is known about SARS-CoV-2 nsp14-nsp10. Here, we purified, reconstituted, and…
Endothelin Antagonism and Sodium Glucose Co-transporter 2 Inhibition A Potential Combination Therapeutic Strategy for COVID-19 - The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 is a global pandemic that requires a multi-faceted approach to tackle this unprecedent health crisis. Therapeutics to treat COVID-19 are an integral part of any such management strategy and there is a substantial unmet need for treatments for individuals most at risk of severe disease. This perspective review provides rationale of a combined therapeutic regimen of selective endothelin-A (ET-A) receptor antagonism and sodium…
Virucidal and antiviral effects of Thymus vulgaris essential oil on feline coronavirus - Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a fatal systemic disease of felids caused by a Coronavirus (CoV) (FIPV). In spite of its clinical relevance and impact on feline health, currently the therapeutic possibilities for treatment of FIP in cats are limited. The emergence of the pandemic Severe Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (CoV) type 2 (SARS-CoV-2), etiological agent of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), able to infect a broad spectrum of animal species including cats, triggered…
The systemic pro-inflammatory response: targeting the dangerous liaison between COVID-19 and cancer - Inflammation is an established driver of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and a mechanism linked to the increased susceptibility to fatal COVID-19 demonstrated by patients with cancer. As patients with cancer exhibit a higher level of inflammation compared with the general patient population, patients with cancer and COVID-19 may uniquely benefit from strategies targeted at overcoming the unrestrained pro-inflammatory response. Targeted and non-targeted anti-inflammatory therapies may prevent…
Astemizole as a drug to inhibit the effect of SARS-COV-2 in vitro - Since the beginning of December 2019, a novel Coronavirus severe respiratory disease, caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which also been termed 2019-new CoV (2019-nCoV), has continued to spread worldwide. As of August 27, 2020, a total of 24,232,429 people have been infected and 826,518 people have died. In our study, we found that astemizole can antagonize ACE2 and inhibit the entry of SARS-COV-2 spike pseudovirus into ACE2-expressed HEK293T cells (ACE2hi…
Pharmacokinetics-based identification of pseudoaldosterogenic compounds originating from Glycyrrhiza uralensis roots (Gancao) after dosing LianhuaQingwen capsule - LianhuaQingwen capsule, prepared from an herbal combination, is officially recommended as treatment for COVID-19 in China. Of the serial pharmacokinetic investigations we designed to facilitate identifying LianhuaQingwen compounds that are likely to be therapeutically important, the current investigation focused on the component Glycyrrhiza uralensis roots (Gancao). Besides its function in COVID-19 treatment, Gancao is able to induce pseudoaldosteronism by inhibiting renal 11β-HSD2. Systemic and…
A COMPREHENSIVE DISINFECTION SYSTEM DURING PANDEMIC FOR PERSONAL ITEMS AND PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) TO SAFEGUARD PEOPLE - The current Covid-19 pandemic has led to an enormous demand for gadgets / objects for personal protection. To prevent the spread of virus, it is important to disinfect commonly touched objects. One of the ways suggested is to use a personal UV-C disinfecting box that is “efficient and effective in deactivating the COVID-19 virus. The present model has implemented the use of a UV transparent material (fused silica quartz glass tubes) as the medium of support for the objects to be disinfected to increase the effectiveness of disinfection without compromising the load bearing capacity. Aluminum foil, a UV reflecting material, was used as the inner lining of the box for effective utilization of the UVC light emitted by the UVC lamps. Care has been taken to prevent leakage of UVC radiation out of the system. COVID-19 virus can be inactivated in 5 minutes by UVC irradiation in this disinfection box - link
USE OF IMINOSUGAR COMPOUND IN PREPARATION OF ANTI-SARS-COV-2 VIRUS DRUG - - link
Compositions and methods for the treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) infection - - link
METHOD FOR QUANTIFICATION OF PIRFENIDONE, A COVID-19 ANTI-FIBROTIC AGENT, BY SENSITIVE ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES - This invention relates to the development of specific methods for quantification of pirfenidone, an anti-fibrotic drug which is used to treat Covid-19 for curing lung infections. Ultra-Violet spectroscopy detection and quantification conducted using HPLC grade water as solvent. Linearity constructed for the concentration range of 3-15µL for UV spectroscopy, 2-10 µg/ml for HPLC using methanol as diluent and 5-25µg/ml using methanol as diluent for HPTLC. The chromatographic system comprised of HPLC system equipped with quaternary gradient pump and Shim-Pack GIST C18 (250X 4.6 mm, 5µm) column with PDA detector monitored at 310nm. HPTLC performed on silica gel 60 F254 plates using mobile phase in the ratio of toluene and methanol 8:2 v/v. Analytical method validation done according to ICH Q2 (R1) guidelines. System suitability, intraday precision and inter day precision calculations performed and reported which found to be within limits (%RSD<2%). Recovery studies performed and amount recovered is found between 98.20-102.20%. - link
5-(4-TERT-BUTOXY PHENYL)-3-(4N-OCTYLOXYPHENYL)-4,5-DIHYDROISOXAZOLE MOLECULE (C-I): A PROMISING DRUG FOR SARS-COV-2 (TARGET I) AND BLOOD CANCER (TARGET II) - The present invention relates to a method ofmolecular docking of crystalline compound (C-I) with SARS-COV 2 proteins and its repurposing with proteins of blood cancer, comprising the steps of ; employing an algorithmto carry molecular docking calculations of the crystalized compound (C-I); studying the compound computationally to understand the effect of binding groups with the atoms of the amino acids on at least four target proteins of SARS-COV 2; downloading the structure of the proteins; removing water molecules, co enzymes and inhibitors attached to the enzymes; drawing the structure using Chem Sketch software; converting the mol file into a PDB file; using crystalized compound (C-I) for comparative and drug repurposing with two other mutated proteins; docking compound into the groove of the proteins; saving format of docked molecules retrieved; and filtering and docking the best docked results. - link
新闻传播速度测评方法和系统 - 本发明实施例提供一种新闻传播速度测评方法和系统,核心是基于新闻媒体权重计算新闻事件主题的传播速度,再通过聚类分析确定传播速度测评体系,最后评定新闻事件主题的传播等级。其中方法包括:确定待测评的新闻事件主题,获取新闻事件主题的新闻数据;基于新闻数据中每一新闻文本的传播媒体信息,计算新闻事件主题的初始传播速度;基于初始传播速度,以及预先设定的传播速度测评体系,确定新闻事件主题的传播速度等级;其中,传播速度测评体系包括多个传播速度等级与初始传播速度之间的对应关系。本发明实施例提供的方法和系统,实现了基于大数据的新闻事件舆情监测,能够有效提高新闻事件舆情响应效率,有利于决策管理者及时做出舆情应对。 - link
AQUEOUS ZINC OXIDE NANOSPRAY COMPOSITIONS - Disclosed herein is aqueous zinc oxide nano spray compositions comprising zinc oxide nanoparticles and a synthetic surfactant for controlling the spread of Covid-19 virus. - link
+
Bettverlängerungssystem (1) für in Bauchlage beatmungspflichtige Patienten in Gestalt mit zumindest einer Platte (16), dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Platte (16) im Kopflagerungsbereich einen Luftwegezugangsdurchbruch (8) mit einem den Luftwegezugangsdurchbruch (8) umgebenden Auflagerbereich für ein durchbrochenes Kopfauflagepolster (14) aufweist, durch den von der Bettunterseite her und durch das Kopfauflagepolster (14) hindurch die Ver- und Entsorgungsschläuche für eine orotracheale Intubation oder eine nasotracheale Intubation ventral an das Gesicht des Patienten herangeführt werden können, und dass die Platte (16) im Bereich ihrer dem Kopfende eines Bettrosts (15) zugeordneten Stirnseite (6) ein Fixierelement (2) zur Befestigung der Platte (16) am Bettrost (15) nach Art eines einseitig frei über das Kopfende des Bettrosts hinausragenden Kragträgers aufweist.
一种肝素类药物组合物、喷鼻剂及其制备方法及应用 - 本发明公开了一种肝素类药物组合物、喷鼻剂及其制备方法及应用。该肝素类药物组合物包括肝素钠和阿比朵尔。本发明中的肝素类药物组合物首次采用肝素钠和阿比朵尔联合使用,普通肝素钠联合1μM/L以上的阿比朵尔病毒抑制效率显著高于单独普通肝素钠或单独阿比多尔组(p<0.05)。 - link
USING CLINICAL ONTOLOGIES TO BUILD KNOWLEDGE BASED CLINICAL DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) WITH THE ADOPTION OF TELECONFERENCING FOR THE PRIMARY HEALTH CENTRES/SATELLITE CLINICS OF ROYAL OMAN POLICE IN SULTANATE OF OMAN - - link
Kathryn Garcia Doesn’t Want Andrew Yang’s Praise - The city-government veteran and mayoral hopeful talks about management, wastewater, and the viability trap. - link
Facebook and the Normalization of Deviance - The trouble with waiting to address problems long after you know that they exist. - link
Joe Biden, the Republicans, and Kids’ Stuff - As the new Administration enters its next hundred days, the child wars are likely to grow more intense and, in some quarters, more detached from reality. - link
Biden’s Great Economic Rebalancing - The President is looking to correct a capitalist economy that has gone askew, and reclaim a lost vision of shared prosperity. - link
Surviving the Crackdown in Xinjiang, in Mandarin - The New Yorker translates its recent report on China’s mass internment of Uyghurs and Kazakhs. - link
+The sprawling TLC franchise changed the game in reality TV. +
++When you stop to think about it, reality TV and documentaries are cousins, if not siblings. The family resemblance may seem unlikely, but it’s there. Both documentaries and reality shows use the raw material of “real life,” then selectively edit and craft a narrative that’s funny or thrilling or dramatic, with characters, stakes, and something to tell us about ourselves. You might even say that documentary walked so that reality TV could fly — or vice versa? +
++That link is something that writer, critic, and comedian Ashley Ray-Harris has been thinking about a lot. A connoisseur of reality TV of all kinds, she writes for outlets like Vulture and the AV Club — including a lot about the TLC show 90 Day Fiancé — as well as her own newsletter. And her weekly podcast TV, I Say with Ashley Ray is a wide-ranging exploration of the medium, often with fun special guests. (When it was time to talk 90 Day Fiancé, she chatted with Seth Rogen and Roxane Gay.) +
++So it makes sense that Ray-Harris was asked by the True/False Film Festival — one of the premier all-documentary festivals in the US — to curate this year’s “Neither/Nor” section, an exploration of the margins of documentary. The program will be available for free online from May 5 through May 9 and will focus on shifts in reality TV and how its “constructed reality” functioned during the Trump era. Viewers can watch episodes of 90 Day Fiancé and read Ray-Harris’s writing on the subject, all collected on the True/False website beginning May 5. +
++I am a longtime True/False fan and someone who thinks about nonfiction filmmaking a lot. So I was fascinated when I heard about this year’s program, especially because I’ve only dipped my toes into reality TV. So I watched a few episodes of 90 Day Fiancé (which bucked my expectations, in a good way) and then called Ray-Harris to talk about why she loves the reality empire 90 Day Fiancé has spawned, the way Donald Trump changed reality TV, the relationship between reality TV and documentary filmmaking, and more. +
++You’ve watched a lot of reality TV and docuseries. Why do you think 90 Day Fiancé is so important? +
++90 Day Fiancé is one of the most pivotal reality shows. From when it debuted in 2014 to now, you actively get to see it react to the culture. You see it react to ICE and immigration under Trump; that impacts and changes the show. It became so popular — to the point where you get all of these spinoffs [of which there are now nearly a dozen] — because people recognized it as not being a product of the early 2000s Trump/Kardashian reality machine, which is losing steam. +
++When it comes to the reality shows like The Apprentice, the shows that made people like Trump — this idea that you could have someone pick you up and lift you out of poverty and make it as a reality star — I think today we see that reality as false. You can get famous being on Instagram, being on TikTok, being on Twitter, but the idea that you can even go on reality TV to get famous nowadays feels so false. The cast and crew of 90 Day Fiancé — sure, people know them and follow their lives outside of the show. But they wouldn’t call themselves celebrities. We don’t see them as the type of celebrity that you saw created with shows like Laguna Beach. +
++That’s created this really interesting conundrum for producers. With some reality shows, things like My 600-Pound Life, Intervention, Hoarders — there’s always been the question of how exploitative they are. How much are we using these people? This isn’t manufactured like Real Housewives of whatever; this is people’s real lives. +
++In the early days of 90 Day Fiancé, like in season two, there’s some fairly exploitative TV. There are moments when you’re like, “Someone please help this 19-year-old girl who is about to marry a 50-year-old, please!” Or with [90 Day Fiancé couple] Danielle and Mohammed, where it’s so clearly a manipulative, abusive relationship on both ends. +
+ ++But 90 Day Fiancé is one of the rare shows that, when called out, has said, “Okay, yeah.” You shouldn’t call ICE on these people who are coming here for love. We’ll paint the American as the villain, rather than always siding with the American, or always siding with whoever American society might say is the hero for falling in line with the American dream. +
++I had not watched 90 Day Fiancé at all until recently, but when I dipped into it I discovered that it’s not just a show, it’s like an entire universe. +
++A whole universe! I wrote a guide on how to watch it. On Discovery+, there’s a 90 Day Fiancé “channel,” where you can just hop in and follow one couple if you want. You can just watch all of the 90 Day: The Single Life spinoffs. They call it their own Marvel Universe. At this point, they’ve got 11 spinoffs. +
+ ++It’s so much to absorb! But the concept of the whole franchise is also really simple. It’s different from some reality shows I’ve seen — Real Housewives, The Apprentice, that sort of thing. One thing that struck me while I watched 90 Day Fiancé was how much it felt like a documentary. If you told me the show was just a documentary about people who are going through this specific visa process, rather than a “reality show,” I completely would have believed you. +
++I think some of that comes from the filmmaking. But some of it also comes from what it expects us to feel as we watch it. +
++That is the thing that shocks people the most. When people first hear about 90 Day Fiancé, they’re like, “Okay, is it some sort of competition? Is it some sort of thing where people have to fall in love in 90 days?” +
++That’s what I thought at first. +
++Then you start watching and you realize that these are people who already loved each other and would be doing this without the show. They aren’t making their decisions because they want to be on a TV show — most of them, anyhow. In the later seasons, with some of them, you’re definitely like, “Okay, this person just wanted to be on TV.” +
++There’s always a moment on a long-running reality show when you can feel the show becoming self-aware, because the people on the show now were watching the show before they were cast. +
++Yes. But with the 90 Day Fiancé universe, because the show kind of peeks in at different moments [in couples’ lives], that doesn’t really happen. You see them go through the visa process, and then you might not see that couple again until three years later, when they’re on 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After. That gives it a more natural feeling — “I’m checking in on this family that I like, and they got married, and now they have three kids.” +
++That kind of self-awareness can really go wrong. An example is the Teen Mom franchise. [Teen Mom is a spinoff from MTV’s 16 and Pregnant; both launched in 2009. Teen Mom now has four spinoffs of its own.] When the franchise first started, it was about 16-year-old girls who were going through stuff they’d never been through before. It was messy, and it was about their lives. +
++But by the fifth season of Teen Mom, they’re girls who grew up watching reality TV and who understand how to manipulate the producers just as much as they’ve been manipulated. On top of that, their children, who grew up on camera since they were on 16 And Pregnant, understand being on camera. You see these kids talking to the producers like they’re family members. The show becomes so much more staged. They understand how they should act on camera versus off camera. They start to understand their double consciousness. +
++With 90 Day Fiancé, the producers are very good about allowing the people on the show to have boundaries in their lives. A lot of the people on the show do get into legal trouble or have personal issues. But the show is very clear that that’s not what it’s about; it’s about exploring the K1 visa process. It’s about exploring the idea and promise of the American dream, and what we make of it. +
++That’s why it’s so good at showing that the American dream isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s a show that says, “Yeah, people think America is great. And then they get here and they realize, Oh, now I live in Kentucky and we don’t have clean water. What is this place? We can’t even afford an apartment!” It’s unflinching and doesn’t really try to paint a better picture. I give it a lot of credit for that. +
++I think that’s why it does feel so much like a documentary, and why it has influenced documentary makers. In some ways, it elevates the genre of reality TV. If America is a melting pot, 90 Day Fiancé is when it reaches its boiling point, where you see it all come together. They somehow managed to find a way to spin that off into 11 different versions of that stew, and they all taste great. +
++When I watch the more Bravo-style reality shows, I know that when I’m watching, they don’t really want you to empathize with anyone. At best there’s a character you might root for. But 90 Day Fiancé definitely feels like it’s attempting to help you understand all the characters, to feel what it’s like to be them in this position. +
++Yes. In the end, it’s a show about people who want love — who in some cases desperately want love — which puts people in this really vulnerable position. And somehow the producers and makers of the show find a way to treat it with such empathy and sympathy. You want these people to find the love they want. When they’re with people who you know they shouldn’t be with, you’re not like, “Oh, this is gonna be good drama.” Instead, you’re just like, “No girl, you deserve better. Don’t date him. Don’t marry him. You should have someone else.” +
++It’s never a facetious thing, even when it’s like [90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days season two’s] Angela and Michael — and I mean, those two have so many issues. Angela is a white woman from Georgia. Michael is her Nigerian lover. I think they’re probably one of the most famous examples from the show of how twisted American exceptionalism can be. +
++Michael proudly says, “I’m a Trump supporter! I want to go to America.” Angela is like, “He’s my Nigerian king. How can I be racist when I have him?” If I just was reading about them, I would be like, “What is happening here? What is this?” +
++And then when you watch their story, and you see Michael does love her. They have real issues — she’s too old to have a child, they’re not sure if they’ll be able to surrogate. It’s way more empathetic than if it was just this Black guy who clearly has some internalized issues with racism and is trying to just get a visa. It’s about so much more. +
++It’s about how he is going to carry on his legacy and honor his family when he knows he really does love this American woman. It just warms your heart, even though on paper, you’d be like, “Oh, my God, this is terrible, it’s exploitative, and these people shouldn’t be together.” But then when you watch it, you’re like, “Oh, my gosh, no, Michael really does just want to help Angela take care of her horde of grandkids. That is his dream.” +
+ ++Several people in the documentary world have told me that reality TV — particularly early shows like The Real World — taught people how to watch documentaries. +
++I really think that that is true. There’s a phenomenon going on recently: We are seeing fewer documentary movies and more four- and five-part documentary series. And in some cases it’s warranted. When it’s something like The Vow and Seduced, series that get into deep topics, people don’t just want to sit down for an hour and a half. With episodes, people feel as though they’re getting more information, they’re getting more in-depth, they’re getting a whole episode about this person’s background story versus just the first 10 minutes of a film. +
++And I think that mirrors how people watch reality TV shows. I never was a big fan of The Real Housewives and other shows like that because there’s no longevity. You don’t need to know what happened the previous season to care about what is happening in these people’s lives, because really, it has nothing to do with their real lives. Whereas with 90 Day Fiancé, you have to know what happened in their lives before the show to see how they got there. You grow with them. +
++I think we’ve seen that mirrored in the documentary space, where people realize you can allow more space for empathy. There’s a template people expect for documentary movies — this is what this is about, and by this point, I should have this type of closure. When it’s more open-ended, you don’t get forced into that box. With series like Murder on Middle Beach, Heaven’s Gate, and Love Fraud, they focus on empathy for the victims. They get into the villain, but without making it the villain’s story. +
++And viewers have gotten more used to that because we’ve seen reality documentary series on TV change. Shows like Hoarders and Intervention have also grown. I’ve been obsessed with Hoarders since it first came on the air. People would be like, “How can you watch that show? It’s so exploitative. You know, they’re just making fun of these people with horrible homes.” But now they show you every step of the process: bringing in the family, the psychiatrists, the aftercare help that they get. +
++Viewers have become more focused on whether what they’re watching is ethical. Is what I’m watching fair? Is what I’m watching giving me two sides of a story, or is it just trying to get me to root for a plot, or some sort of overall villain or story? I think reality TV has had a huge impact on that. +
++And I love where we are in the documentary age. I am constantly just seeing new things I’m excited about. I kind of wish we could go back and redo some of my favorite documentaries as four-part series, because you just get so much more. +
++Okay, so: Tell me how this True/False program about 90 Day Fiancé came together. +
++I’ve been such a fan of this festival and their programming for a long time. When my friend Amir [George, one of the festival’s programmers], first hit me up, he was like, “Ashley, we want to do something really different this year.” +
++And I was like, “First of all, what do you want from me? Because I’m a TV person.” He said they wanted to look at the current surge of reality TV and how it’s changed over the last four years because of Trump, and the ways reality TV is starting to mirror documentary filmmaking. That was something that I had also seen. +
++So I thought we could do an in-depth look at reality TV, and specifically 90 Day Fiancé. At how we’ve seen that exploration of exploitation influence not just reality TV, but also docuseries and true crime, with more people saying, “Let’s focus on victims’ stories. Let’s focus on the untold stories rather than focusing on the murderer or the serial killer or the victor.” +
+ ++So for people who might watch the program, since it’s online, what will they experience? +
++We’ll be exploring how 90 Day Fiancé has not only changed in the time it’s been on TV, but how it’s impacted the culture of documentary making, as well as the current reality TV landscape. How it became a ratings juggernaut, a powerful thing that could set the tone for the reality TV landscape. +
++And we’ll look at why it’s doing that in a positive way that gives us more reality, more capability, more empathy, than previous generations of reality TV like the Kardashian era — or as I like to call it, the “fake it till you make it” era. Everyone knew Donald Trump had been bankrupt, but The Apprentice made some people believe, “No, he’s a legit businessman, he knows business.” That’s not true. The Kardashians weren’t actually a conglomerate family that’s done all these things — but now it is true, because they faked it until they made it. +
++We can’t really do that anymore with reality TV. People don’t want to see the fake. So we’re going to be exploring that transition and how it happened under Trump and how the show reacted to it. +
++We’re also going to dig into some of the most pivotal moments in 90 Day Fiancé, for people who’ve never watched the show and for people who are fans. Characters like Paul and Karine, who really define why the show is so good — Paul, confessing that he was an arsonist and running into the woods. Angela and Michael, and how they have to explore interracial dynamics, how someone can move from Nigeria to the American South and not realize racism still exists in America; Michael literally had no idea until he had to talk to Americans. +
++We’ll also look at Kenneth and Armando, the show’s first gay male couple. They’re on 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way, a spinoff that shows Americans moving to other countries [to be with their partner]. That’s a pivot for the show, saying this isn’t only about American exceptionalism. This is about how people love, what people are afraid of and love, how people change, how people grow. +
++We’ll look at the moments on the show that hit on something important, special things that I think changed the landscape and made other reality shows go, “That’s what we need. That’s how you pull people in nowadays.” The glitz and glamour of seeing people on private jets, it’s gone. +
++A full guide to participating in Ray-Harris’s Neither/Nor program is available on the True/False website. It will take place May 5-9, 2021. +
+The billionaire couple is getting a divorce. +
++Bill and Melinda Gates, the leaders of the world’s most venerated and powerful philanthropy, said on Monday that they were getting a divorce — an earthquake moment in the nonprofit sector. +
++The billionaire couple sets the strategic vision for the $50 billion Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which they co-founded and which spends more than $5 billion a year on causes like US education and worldwide disease eradication. Their divorce potentially has enormous implications for their work. +
++The Gateses are America’s most famous billionaire philanthropists, with the power and profile to corral foreign governments, lobby for policy change, and inspire other billionaires to donate their money to charity. During the coronavirus pandemic, Bill Gates in particular has been one of the nation’s leading public health experts, appearing seemingly everywhere in the media and encouraging people to take the virus seriously. +
++The couple made the surprise announcement in concurrent posts on their personal Twitter pages. Upon posting the announcement, Melinda Gates added her maiden name, French, to her Twitter profile, suggesting that she may use the full name “Melinda French Gates” going forward. +
++In their statement, the Gateses said they would “continue our work together at the foundation.” +
++“But we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives.” +
++A Gates Foundation spokesperson said that the philanthropy did not anticipate changes to its work. Both Bill Gates and Melinda Gates will remain co-chairs and trustees of the foundation in their name, a spokesman said. +
++“They will continue to work together to shape and approve foundation strategies, advocate for the foundation’s issues, and set the organization’s overall direction,” a Foundation spokesman said. +
++Bill Gates founded Microsoft decades ago but has increasingly turned more and more to his charitable work, resigning from Microsoft’s board last year. Melinda Gates was an early employee at Microsoft herself and has been a hands-on presence for years at their foundation; she also has her own interest in women’s issues that she coordinates through a separate outfit called Pivotal Ventures. +
++Disentangling a fortune of this size — the Gates family, for instance, is the country’s largest private owner of farmland — is sure to be complicated. The Gates family has a net worth over $100 billion, and their separation could set records for the largest divorce settlement to date. The largest settlement ever was recorded a few years ago when Jeff Bezos, the world’s wealthiest man, finalized a divorce from MacKenzie Scott for about $36 billion. +
++While a divorce proceeding is typically a private affair, given how important Bill and Melinda Gates are to the world, this separation could have massive consequences for public life. +
+A new poll suggests the public is looking to Congress to act on police reform. +
++A majority of American voters think the need for police reform is even more urgent in the wake of former police officer Derek Chauvin’s conviction for the murder of George Floyd, according to a new Vox/Data For Progress poll. +
++In a survey fielded in the week after his conviction, 55 percent of likely voters said they felt this way, compared to 30 percent who said they believe there was no change in urgency, and 9 percent who said there was less urgency following the trial. The results differed significantly along partisan lines, with 77 percent of Democrats saying police reform was more urgent, and 50 percent of independents and 34 percent of Republicans saying the same. +
++Previously, Axios has reported that congressional aides felt the verdict helped alleviate pressure on lawmakers to take more action in the near term, because it was the result that many activists and voters supported. “An acquittal or mistrial involving the former police officer would have unleashed violence and days more of protests — and added bipartisan pressure to act on criminal and police reform,” Axios’s Alayna Treene and Kadia Goba reported. Large-scale demonstrations along those lines might have ramped up the public outcry even more. But as this poll indicates, even absent that, most people still view police reform as a vital issue that lawmakers need to address. +
++The poll was conducted as lawmakers in Congress continue negotiations on police reform, and was fielded in two parts, between April 21 and 23, with 1,438 likely voters, and April 23 and 25, with 1,189 likely voters. Both surveys have a 3 percentage point margin of error. +
++As Gabby Birenbaum wrote for Vox, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), the lead Republican negotiator on police reform, signaled renewed optimism about a potential deal on the issue this Sunday. The main question now if a deal is reached, is how ambitious — or not — it actually is. +
++Congress has been here before. Just last year, Senate Democrats had rejected Republicans’ proposal for being too narrow, while GOP leaders argued that House Democrats’ legislation would unnecessarily curb police officers’ legal protections. +
++This year, Scott, along with Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA), are spearheading efforts to find a bipartisan agreement. President Joe Biden has urged Congress to “find a consensus” on police reform by May 25, the anniversary of Floyd’s death, a date Bass has cited as a loose deadline as well. +
+ ++Although the existing Democratic and Republican proposals have a lot of differences, Scott has said that he hopes a potential compromise on qualified immunity, a legal shield that makes it tougher to sue police officers for wrongdoing, could lead to a deal. In his proposal, police departments, rather than individual officers, would bear the legal liability in incidents of wrongdoing, an attempt to deter such behavior that wouldn’t put all the risk on the individual. +
++“How do we change the culture of policing?” Scott said during a Face the Nation appearance on Sunday. “I think we do that by making the employer responsible for the actions of the employee. We do that with doctors. We do that with lawyers. We do that in most all of our industries. If we do that in law enforcement, the employer will change the culture. As opposed to having one officer change or not change, we’ll have all officers transforming because the departments are taking on more of that burden.” +
++That idea has already prompted some backlash from progressives, including Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), though Scott is hoping he can eventually get both Democrats and Republicans on board. +
++As an earlier Vox/DFP poll found in April, a majority of likely voters back police reforms including bans on chokeholds and no-knock warrants, grants for body cameras, and changes to qualified immunity, in some cases by large margins. +
++In the latest survey, the support for curbing qualified immunity has stayed consistent, though far from overwhelming: 51 percent of those polled think people should be able to more easily sue police officers for actions they’ve taken while on duty. +
++The survey also found that 72 percent of people believed the Chauvin verdict was rightly decided, including 91 percent of Democrats, 72 percent of independents and 51 percent of Republicans. Polling conducted by other outlets following the trial also found strong support for some type of reform effort, though the questions were broader in scope: In an ABC News/Washington Post survey, 60 percent of people said lawmakers should hold the police accountable for the mistreatment of Black people, and in a CNN survey, 53 percent of people said policing needs major changes. +
++Ultimately, as these polls revealed, most people are looking to lawmakers to do more, after Congress has stalled on the issue in the past. +
COVID-19 surge | India’s FIH Pro League matches in Europe postponed - The Indian men’s hockey team was scheduled to play against Spain on May 15 and 16, followed by the two-leg tie in Germany on May 23 and 24
IPL broadcaster supports BCCI move to indefinitely suspend league - Star India added that it was “indebted” to its employees, on-air talent, production and broadcast crews for delivering the broadcast to millions of houses in these challenging times
After IPL postponement, World T20 could be moved to UAE - While a final decision will be taken in a month’s time, it is understood that even the Indian cricket board is jittery about holding the 16-team tournament in October-November
BCCI suspends IPL 2021 after players test positive for COVID-19 - “We have suspended the IPL for now. The new window will be worked out later on. A statement will follow soon,” IPL chairman Brijesh Patel said
IPL 2021 | CSK-RR match rescheduled after Balaji tests positive for COVID-19 - All CSK playing members have tested negative during their scheduled RT-PCR tests.
Number of women MLAs in Assam Assembly declining - It’s is six this time against a high of 14 in 2011
West Bengal post-poll violence: NCW takes suo motu cognisance of attacks on women - BJP leaders shared videos of the party office in Nandigram being ransacked as well as women supporters of the party being physically assaulted
ECI asks Bengal govt to give protection, counselling to Nandigram RO - Mamata has claimed that he did not order a recount of votes as he feared for his life
Watch: DMK takes action against its men who vandalise Amma Unavagam - A video of Amma Unavagam being vandalised
Mahajot members trade blame for Assam loss - While the AIUDF held the Congress responsible, the latter pointed to a division of votes by the Raijor Dal-Assam Jatiya Parishad
Senior Swiss diplomat in Iran ‘dies in fall from high-rise building’ - Iranian media report that the 51-year-old woman fell from the high-rise building where she lived.
Belgian farmer accidentally moves French border - The farmer moved a two-century-old border stone into French territory as it was blocking his tractor.
G7: Foreign ministers discuss global threats at London summit - Foreign ministers hold their first face-to-face talks for two years, amid tight Covid restrictions.
Pandora says laboratory-made diamonds are forever - The world’s biggest jeweller says it will no longer use mined diamonds in a bid to become more sustainable.
Covid: French lockdown eased to help schools and travel - Most French secondary pupils return to class and a domestic travel ban is lifted.
The Martian’s Andy Weir is back to form with Project Hail Mary - Some quick and spoiler-free thoughts on the new book, out today. - link
FDA reportedly plans to authorize Pfizer’s COVID vaccine for teens 12-15 in days - Pfizer previously reported the vaccine was safe and effective in adolescents. - link
Epic vs. Apple opening arguments suggest a bitter battle over iOS’ future - Epic says it’s “suing for change.” Apple says Epic “just doesn’t want to pay.” - link
Yet another Google AI leader has defected to Apple - He will work under John Giannandrea, who also left Google for Apple. - link
Ajit Pai joins American Enterprise Institute and a firm that invests in ISPs - Post-FCC Pai will apparently keep pushing deregulation of broadband industry. - link
+[LONG] +
++After 10 years in the monastery the head monk summons’ him and says ‘You’ve been with us for 10 years. What two words would you like to say.’ +
++The monk replies ‘I’m hungry’, so the head monk organises for an extra ration be given to him each day. +
++After 20 years the head monk calls him in again and asks ‘What two words would you like to say?’ +
++The monk replies with ‘Too cold’, so the head monk organises for him to get another blanket. +
++After 30 years the head monk calls him in and says ‘What two words would you like to say’. +
++The monk replies with ‘Wanna leave’. +
++The head monk says ‘I’m not surprised. You’ve done nothing but complain since you’ve been here’. +
+ submitted by /u/AndrewMacSydney
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+She will be his Xbox +
+ submitted by /u/ElbowRoni
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+A guy comes up to him in the bar one day and says, +
++“Are you the guy who charges $10,000 a bullet?” +
++“Yup.” +
++“What if you miss?” +
++He looks at the man, deadly serious. “I don’t miss…” +
++“Okay, well I’ve got $20,000. I just found out my wife is having an affair with my best friend. They’re at the motel together right now.” +
++“Let’s go,” the assassin says. So they drive to a store across the street from the motel and climb up on the roof. The assassin takes out his rifle and attaches the scope. +
++“They’re in room 21. I want you to shoot her in the head, and I want you to blow his dick off.” The assassin looks through his scope. He keeps staring for several minutes, not taking the shot. +
++“Well? What are you waiting for!?” the husband asks. “Hold on a minute,” said the assassin, “I may be able to save you 10 grand.” +
+ submitted by /u/sidtheslothy23
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+Just like yo mamma +
+ submitted by /u/merio67
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+It’s a huge act, man.. +
+ submitted by /u/thiscantberealbutter
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