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<title>09 June, 2021</title>
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<title>Covid-19 Sentry</title><meta content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" name="viewport"/><link href="styles/simple.css" rel="stylesheet"/><link href="../styles/simple.css" rel="stylesheet"/><link href="https://unpkg.com/aos@2.3.1/dist/aos.css" rel="stylesheet"/><script src="https://unpkg.com/aos@2.3.1/dist/aos.js"></script></head>
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<h1 data-aos="fade-down" id="covid-19-sentry">Covid-19 Sentry</h1>
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<h1 data-aos="fade-right" data-aos-anchor-placement="top-bottom" id="contents">Contents</h1>
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<ul>
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<li><a href="#from-preprints">From Preprints</a></li>
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<li><a href="#from-clinical-trials">From Clinical Trials</a></li>
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<li><a href="#from-pubmed">From PubMed</a></li>
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<li><a href="#from-patent-search">From Patent Search</a></li>
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</ul>
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<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-preprints">From Preprints</h1>
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<ul>
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<li><strong>SARS-CoV-2 mechanisms of action and impact on human organism, risk factors and potential treatments. An exhaustive survey.</strong> -
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Novel COVID-19 is the most considerable health threat the humanity has faced in decades, with global impact also in the social and economic scopes. Moreover, SARS-CoV-2 involves an unprecedented exciting scientific challenge that has focused all efforts on defeating the new coronavirus. Research results are continuously increasing and updating knowledge about the virus and the disease, and understanding the virus characteristics proves essential in order to identify and attack its weak points, as well as uncovering the host reactions to search for treatments. Through this survey we will offer the reader a thorough exposition on how SARS-CoV-2 infects and affects the human organism, the wide set of risk factors that impact the susceptibility to and the course of the disease, related biomarkers, and potential drugs and treatments against the virus host entry, the infection and its consequences. What has been learned over one and a half year is expected to help in facing future global health threats.
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</div>
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<div class="article-link article-html-link">
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://osf.io/v6zym/" target="_blank">SARS-CoV-2 mechanisms of action and impact on human organism, risk factors and potential treatments. An exhaustive survey.</a>
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</div></li>
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<li><strong>The Indirect Effects of Disordered Social Media Use on Stress and Depression via Fear of COVID-19</strong> -
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The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a global threat that has negative impacts on individuals’ physical and mental health. Here, we explore if disordered social media use promotes fear of COVID-19, which in turn increases stress and depression in users. The study also explores several risk and protective factors that may affect the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and stress and depression. There were 174 participants that completed an online survey that measured disordered social media use, fear of COVID-19, perceived stress, and depression symptomatology. We found that disordered social media use predicts perceived stress indirectly through fear of COVID-19. Disordered social media use had a direct relationship with depression scores and this relationship is mediated by fear of COVID-19. We also found that the positive relationship between fear of COVID-19 and perceived stress is stronger for older people than younger people. The psychological impact of COVID-19 may be exacerbated by content promoting the fear of COVID-19 that users will be exposed to on social media.
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</div>
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<div class="article-link article-html-link">
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://psyarxiv.com/dbg62/" target="_blank">The Indirect Effects of Disordered Social Media Use on Stress and Depression via Fear of COVID-19</a>
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</div></li>
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<li><strong>Targeting of Protein Kinase CK2 Elicits Antiviral Activity on Bovine Coronavirus Infection</strong> -
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Coronaviruses constitute a global threat to human population since three highly pathogenic coronaviruses (SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2) have crossed species to cause severe human respiratory disease. Considering the worldwide emergency status due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, effective pan-coronavirus antiviral drugs are required to tackle the ongoing as well as future (re)emerging virus outbreaks. Protein kinase CK2 has been deemed a promising therapeutic target in COVID-19 supported by its in vitro pharmacologic inhibition and molecular studies on SARS-CoV-2 infected cells. CIGB-325 is a first-in-class synthetic peptide impairing the CK2-mediated signaling whose safety and clinical benefit have been evidenced in Covid-19 and cancer patients after intravenous administration. Here, we explored the putative antiviral effect of CIGB-325 over MDBK cells infected by bovine coronavirus (BCoV) Mebus. Importantly, CIGB-325 inhibited both the cytopathic effect and the number of plaques forming units with a half-inhibitory concentrations IC50 = 3.5 uM and 17.7 uM, respectively. Accordingly, viral protein accumulation at the cytoplasm was clearly reduced by treating BCoV-infected cells with CIGB-325 over time, as determined by immunocytochemistry. Of note, data from pull-down assay followed by western blot and/or mass spectrometry identification revealed physical interaction of CIGB-325 with nucleocapsid (N) protein and a bona fide cellular CK2 substrates. Functional enrichment and network analysis from the CIGB-325 interacting proteins indicated cytoskeleton reorganization and protein folding as the most represented biological processes disturbed by this anti-CK2 peptide. Altogether, our findings not only unveil the direct antiviral activity of CIGB-325 on coronavirus infection but also provide molecular clues underlying such effect. Also, our data reinforce the scientific rationality behind the pharmacologic inhibition of CK2 to treat coronavirus infections.
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</div>
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<div class="article-link article-html-link">
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.08.447588v1" target="_blank">Targeting of Protein Kinase CK2 Elicits Antiviral Activity on Bovine Coronavirus Infection</a>
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</div></li>
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<li><strong>ROS/RNS balancing, aerobic fermentation regulation and cell cycle control a complex early trait (‘CoV-MAC-TED’) for combating SARS-CoV-2-induced cell reprogramming</strong> -
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<div>
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In a perspective entitled From plant survival under severe stress to anti-viral human defense we raised and justified the hypothesis that transcript level profiles of justified target genes established from in vitro somatic embryogenesis (SE) induction in plants as a reference compared to virus-induced profiles can identify differential virus signatures that link to harmful reprogramming. A standard profile of selected genes named ReprogVirus was proposed for in vitro-scanning of early virus-induced reprogramming in critical primary infected cells/tissues as target trait. For data collection, the ReprogVirus platform was initiated. This initiative aims to identify in a common effort across scientific boundaries critical virus footprints from diverse virus origins and variants as a basis for anti-viral strategy design. This approach is open for validation and extension. In the present study, we initiated validation by experimental transcriptome data available in public domain combined with advancing plant wet lab research. We compared plant-adapted transcriptomes according to RegroVirus complemented by alternative oxidase (AOX) genes during de novo programming under SE-inducing conditions with in vitro corona virus-induced transcriptome profiles. This approach enabled identifying a major complex trait for early de novo programming during SARS-CoV-2 infection, called CoV-MAC-TED. It consists of unbalanced ROS/RNS levels, which are connected to increased aerobic fermentation that links to alpha-tubulin-based cell restructuration and progression of cell cycle. We conclude that anti-viral/anti-SARS-CoV-2 strategies need to rigorously target CoV-MAC-TED in primary infected nose and mouth cells through prophylactic and very early therapeutic strategies. We also discuss potential strategies in the view of the beneficial role of AOX for resilient behavior in plants. Furthermore, following the general observation that ROS/RNS equilibration/redox homeostasis is of utmost importance at the very beginning of viral infection, we highlight that de-stressing disease and social handling should be seen as essential part of anti-viral/anti-SARS-CoV-2 strategies.
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</div>
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<div class="article-link article-html-link">
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.08.447491v1" target="_blank">ROS/RNS balancing, aerobic fermentation regulation and cell cycle control a complex early trait (‘CoV-MAC-TED’) for combating SARS-CoV-2-induced cell reprogramming</a>
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</div></li>
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<li><strong>Predicted Coronavirus Nsp5 Protease Cleavage Sites in the Human Proteome: A Resource for SARS-CoV-2 Research</strong> -
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<div>
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Background: The coronavirus nonstructural protein 5 (Nsp5) is a cysteine protease required for processing the viral polyprotein and is therefore crucial for viral replication. Nsp5 from several coronaviruses have also been found to cleave host proteins, disrupting molecular pathways involved in innate immunity. Nsp5 from the recently emerged SARS-CoV-2 virus interacts with and can cleave human proteins, which may be relevant to the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Based on the continuing global pandemic, and emerging understanding of coronavirus Nsp5-human protein interactions, we set out to predict what human proteins are cleaved by the coronavirus Nsp5 protease using a bioinformatics approach. Results: Using a previously developed neural network trained on coronavirus Nsp5 cleavage sites (NetCorona), we made predictions of Nsp5 cleavage sites in all human proteins. Structures of human proteins in the Protein Data Bank containing a predicted Nsp5 cleavage site were then examined, generating a list of 92 human proteins with a highly predicted and accessible cleavage site. Of those, 48 are expected to be found in the same cellular compartment as Nsp5. Analysis of this targeted list of proteins revealed molecular pathways susceptible to Nsp5 cleavage and therefore relevant to coronavirus infection, including pathways involved in mRNA processing, cytokine response, cytoskeleton organization, and apoptosis. Conclusions: This study combines predictions of Nsp5 cleavage sites in human proteins with protein structure information and protein network analysis. We predicted cleavage sites in proteins recently shown to be cleaved in vitro by SARS-CoV-2 Nsp5, and we discuss how other potentially cleaved proteins may be relevant to coronavirus mediated immune dysregulation. The data presented here will assist in the design of more targeted experiments, to determine the role of coronavirus Nsp5 cleavage of host proteins, which is relevant to understanding the molecular pathology of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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</div>
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<div class="article-link article-html-link">
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.08.447224v1" target="_blank">Predicted Coronavirus Nsp5 Protease Cleavage Sites in the Human Proteome: A Resource for SARS-CoV-2 Research</a>
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</div></li>
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<li><strong>Single domain shark VNAR antibodies neutralize SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro</strong> -
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<div>
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Single domain shark VNAR antibodies can offer a viable alternative to conventional Ig-based monoclonal antibodies in treating COVID-19 disease during the current pandemic. Here we report the identification of neutralizing single domain VNAR antibodies selected against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein derived from the Wuhan variant using phage display. We identified 56 unique binding clones that exhibited high affinity and specificity to the spike protein. Of those, 10 showed an ability to block both the spike protein receptor binding domain from the Wuhan variant and the N501Y mutant from interacting with recombinant ACE2 receptor in vitro. In addition, 3 antibody clones retained in vitro blocking activity when the E484K spike protein mutant was used. The inhibitory property of the VNAR antibodies was further confirmed for all 10 antibody clones using ACE2 expressing cells with spike protein from the Wuhan variant. The viral neutralizing potential of the VNAR clones was also confirmed for the 10 antibodies tested using live Wuhan variant virus in in vitro cell infectivity assays. Single domain VNAR antibodies due to their low complexity, small size, unique epitope recognition and formatting flexibility should be a useful adjunct to existing antibody approaches to treat COVID-19.
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</div>
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<div class="article-link article-html-link">
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.08.447530v1" target="_blank">Single domain shark VNAR antibodies neutralize SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro</a>
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</div></li>
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<li><strong>In depth analysis of Cyprus-specific mutations of SARS-CoV-2 strains using computational approaches</strong> -
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<div>
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This study aims to characterize SARS-CoV-2 mutations which are primarily prevalent in the Cypriot population. Moreover, using computational approaches, we assess whether these mutations are associated with changes in viral virulence. We utilize genetic data from 144 sequences of SARS-CoV-2 strains from the Cypriot population obtained between March 2020 and January 2021, as well as all data available from GISAID. We combine this with countries’ regional information, such as deaths and cases per million, as well as COVID-19-related public health austerity measure response times. Initial indications of selective advantage of Cyprus-specific mutations are obtained by mutation tracking analysis. This entails calculating specific mutation frequencies within the Cypriot population and comparing these with their prevalence world-wide throughout the course of the pandemic. We further make use of linear regression models to extrapolate additional information that may be missed through standard statistical analysis. We report a single mutation found in the ORF1ab gene (S6059F) that appears to be significantly enriched within the Cypriot population. We further analyse this mutation using regression models to investigate possible associations with increased deaths and cases per million. Moreover, protein structure prediction tools show that the mutation infers a conformational change to the protein that significantly alters its structure when compared to the reference protein. Investigating Cyprus-specific mutations for SARS-CoV-2 can not only lead to important findings from which to battle the pandemic on a national level, but also provide insights into viral virulence worldwide.
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</div>
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<div class="article-link article-html-link">
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.08.447477v1" target="_blank">In depth analysis of Cyprus-specific mutations of SARS-CoV-2 strains using computational approaches</a>
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</div></li>
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<li><strong>FXa cleaves the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and blocks cell entry to protect against infection with inferior effects in B.1.1.7 variant</strong> -
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<div>
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The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Human natural defense mechanisms against SARS-CoV-2 are largely unknown. Serine proteases (SPs) including furin and TMPRSS2 cleave SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, facilitating viral entry. Here, we show that FXa, a SP for blood coagulation, is upregulated in COVID 19 patients compared to non-COVID-19 donors and exerts anti-viral activity. Mechanistically, FXa cleaves the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which prevents its binding to ACE2, and thus blocks viral entry. Furthermore, the variant B.1.1.7 with several mutations is dramatically resistant to the anti-viral effect of FXa compared to wild-type SARA-CoV-2 in vivo and in vitro. The anti-coagulant rivaroxaban directly inhibits FXa and facilitates viral entry, whereas the indirect inhibitor fondaparinux does not. In a lethal humanized hACE2 mouse model of SARS-CoV-2, FXa prolonged survival while combination with rivaroxaban but not fondaparinux abrogated this protection. These preclinical results identify a previously unknown SP function and associated anti-viral host defense mechanism and suggest caution in considering direct inhibitors for prevention or treatment of thrombotic complications in COVID-19 patients.
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</div>
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<div class="article-link article-html-link">
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.07.447437v1" target="_blank">FXa cleaves the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and blocks cell entry to protect against infection with inferior effects in B.1.1.7 variant</a>
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<li><strong>Mapping Potential Antigenic Drift Sites (PADS) on SARS-CoV-2 Spike in Continuous Epitope-Paratope Space</strong> -
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<div>
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SARS-CoV-2 mutations with antigenic effects pose a risk to immunity developed through vaccination and natural infection. While vaccine updates for current variants of concern (VOCs) are underway, it is likewise important to prepare for further antigenic mutations as the virus navigates the heterogeneous global landscape of host immunity. Toward this end, a wealth of data and tools exist that can augment existing genetic surveillance of VOC evolution. In this study, we integrate published datasets describing genetic, structural, and functional constraints on mutation along with computational analyses of antibody-spike co-crystal structures to identify a set of potential antigenic drift sites (PADS) within the receptor binding domain (RBD) and N-terminal domain (NTD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Further, we project the PADS set into a continuous epitope-paratope space to facilitate interpretation of the degree to which newly observed mutations might be antigenically synergistic with existing VOC mutations, and this representation suggests that functionally convergent and synergistic antigenic mutations are accruing across VOC NTDs. The PADS set and synergy visualization serve as a reference as new mutations are detected on VOCs, enable proactive investigation of potentially synergistic mutations, and offer guidance to antibody and vaccine design efforts.
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<div class="article-link article-html-link">
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.07.446560v1" target="_blank">Mapping Potential Antigenic Drift Sites (PADS) on SARS-CoV-2 Spike in Continuous Epitope-Paratope Space</a>
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</div></li>
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<li><strong>Super-cells untangle large and complex single-cell transcriptome networks</strong> -
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Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies offer unique opportunities for exploring heterogeneous cell populations. However, in-depth single-cell transcriptomic characterization of complex tissues often requires profiling tens to hundreds of thousands of cells. Such large numbers of cells represent an important hurdle for downstream analyses, interpretation and visualization. Here we develop a network-based coarse-graining framework where highly similar cells are merged into super-cells. We demonstrate that super-cells not only preserve but often improve the results of downstream analyses including visualization, clustering, differential expression, cell type annotation, gene correlation, imputation, RNA velocity and data integration. By capitalizing on the redundancy inherent to scRNA-seq data, super-cells significantly facilitate and accelerate the construction and interpretation of single-cell atlases, as demonstrated by the integration of 1.46 million cells from COVID-19 patients in less than two hours on a standard desktop.
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<div class="article-link article-html-link">
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.07.447430v1" target="_blank">Super-cells untangle large and complex single-cell transcriptome networks</a>
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<li><strong>The role of the government in increasing MSMEs in Indonesia</strong> -
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As we know that economic growth is one indicator of a country’s economic performance. Experts state that small traders are business actors with relatively small capital who carry out production activities or sell goods and services to meet the needs of certain groups in society. From a business development perspective, small traders, such as warungs, street vendors or hawkers, and small-scale shops are micro-enterprises that operate informally. The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic had a negative impact on 84.7% of MSMEs, the average income fell significantly by 53%, and around 72% of MSMEs experienced a decrease in income of more than 40%. MSMEs have a very large role in the Indonesian economy.
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://osf.io/dft2u/" target="_blank">The role of the government in increasing MSMEs in Indonesia</a>
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<li><strong>Altered neutrophil phenotype and function in non-ICU COVID-19 patients correlated with disease severity</strong> -
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Rational: Infection with the SARS-CoV2 virus is associated with elevated neutrophil counts. Evidence of neutrophil dysfunction in COVID-19 is based predominantly on transcriptomics or single functional assays. Cell functions are interwoven pathways, and so understanding the effect of COVID-19 across the spectrum of neutrophil function may identify tractable therapeutic targets. Objectives: Examine neutrophil phenotype and functional capacity in COVID-19 patients versus age-matched controls (AMC) Methods: Isolated neutrophils from 41 hospitalised, non-ICU COVID-19 patients and 23 AMC underwent ex vivo analyses for migration, bacterial phagocytosis, ROS generation, NET formation (NETosis) and cell surface receptor expression. DNAse 1 activity was measured, alongside circulating levels of cfDNA, MPO, VEGF, IL-6 and sTNFRI. All measurements were correlated to clinical outcome. Serial sampling on day 3-5 post hospitalisation were also measured. Results: Compared to AMC, COVID-19 neutrophils demonstrated elevated transmigration (p=0.0397) and NETosis (p=0.0366), but impaired phagocytosis (p=0.0236) associated with impaired ROS generation (p<0.0001). Surface expression of CD54 (p<0.0001) and CD11c (p=0.0008) was significantly increased and CD11b significantly decreased (p=0.0229) on COVID-19 patient neutrophils. COVID-19 patients showed increased systemic markers of NETosis including increased cfDNA (p=0.0153) and impaired DNAse activity (p<0.0.001). MPO (p<0.0001), VEGF (p<0.0001), TNFRI (p<0.0001) and IL-6 (p=0.009) were elevated in COVID-19, which positively correlated with disease severity by 4C score. Conclusion: COVID-19 is associated with neutrophil dysfunction across all main effector functions, with altered phenotype, elevated migration, impaired antimicrobial responses and elevated NETosis. These changes represent a clear mechanism for tissue damage and highlight that targeting neutrophil function may help modulate COVID-19 severity.
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</p>
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.08.21258535v1" target="_blank">Altered neutrophil phenotype and function in non-ICU COVID-19 patients correlated with disease severity</a>
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<li><strong>A Cross-sectional Study of Clinical COVID-19 Myocarditis</strong> -
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Background: COVID-19 myocarditis is becoming increasingly appreciated as a complication of COVID-19. There are significant hurdles to formal diagnosis with endomyocardial biopsy or cardiac MRI whether by resource limitations, patient instability, or isolation precautions. Therefore, further exploratory analysis is needed to clinically define the characteristics and spectrum of severity of COVID-19 myocarditis. Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the clinical course, echocardiographic, and laboratory testing across suspected fulminant and non-fulminant clinically defined COVID-19 myocarditis. Methods: In a cross-sectional observational study of 19 patients with clinically defined COVID-19 myocarditis, we report presenting symptoms, clinical course, laboratory findings, and echocardiographic results stratified by non-fulminant and fulminant myocarditis. Student t-test and univariate logistic regression are used to compare laboratory findings across fulminant and non-fulminant cases. Findings: Among 19 patients, there was no prior history of coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, or heart failure; 21.1% of patients died; and 78.9% of cases required supplemental oxygen. A significantly higher geometric mean D-dimer and ferritin were observed in patients with fulminant compared to non-fulminant suspected myocarditis. 26.3% of cases had pericardial effusions. 10 out of the 16 with available echocardiographic data had normal left ventricular systolic function. Conclusions: In this cross-sectional analysis, we provide a practical clinical depiction of patients with clinical COVID-19 myocarditis across fulminant and non-fulminant cases. Statistically significant elevations in inflammatory markers in fulminant versus non-fulminant cases generate hypothesis regarding the role of systemic inflammation in driving severity of COVID-19 myocarditis.
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.06.21258423v1" target="_blank">A Cross-sectional Study of Clinical COVID-19 Myocarditis</a>
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<li><strong>Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies Among Rural Healthcare Workers</strong> -
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The objective of this longitudinal cohort study was to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in healthcare workers employed at healthcare clinics in three rural counties in eastern South Dakota and western Minnesota from May 13, 2020 through December 22, 2020. Three blood draws were performed at five clinical sites and tested for the presence of antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Serum samples were tested for the presence of antibodies using a fluorescent microsphere immunoassay (FMIA), neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 Spike-pseudotyped particles (SARS-CoV-2pp) assay, and serum virus neutralization (SVN) assay. The seroprevalence was determined to be 1/336 (0.29%) for samples collected from 5/13/20-7/13/20, 5/260 (1.92%) for samples collected from 8/13/20-9/25/20, and 35/235 (14.89%) for samples collected from 10/16/20-12/22/20. Eight of the 35 (22.8%) seropositive individuals identified in the final draw did not report a previous diagnosis with COVID-19. There was a high correlation (>90%) among the FMIA and virus neutralization assays. Each clinical site9s seroprevalence was higher than the cumulative incidence for the general public in each respective county as reported by state public health agencies. As of December 2020, there was a high percentage (85%) of seronegative individuals in the study population.
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.07.21258375v1" target="_blank">Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies Among Rural Healthcare Workers</a>
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<li><strong>Recognition and inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 by humoral innate immunity pattern recognition molecules</strong> -
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The humoral arm of innate immunity includes diverse molecules with antibody-like functions, some of which serve as disease severity biomarkers in COVID-19. The present study was designed to conduct a systematic investigation of the interaction of humoral fluid phase pattern recognition molecules (PRM) with SARS-CoV-2. Out of 10 PRM tested, the long pentraxin PTX3 and Mannose Binding Lectin (MBL) bound the viral Nucleoprotein and Spike, respectively. MBL bound trimeric Spike, including that of variants of concern, in a glycan-dependent way and inhibited SARS-CoV-2 in three in vitro models. Moreover, upon binding to Spike, MBL activated the lectin pathway of complement activation. Genetic polymorphisms at the MBL locus were associated with disease severity. These results suggest that selected humoral fluid phase PRM can play an important role in resistance to, and pathogenesis of, COVID-19, a finding with translational implications.
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🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.07.21258350v1" target="_blank">Recognition and inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 by humoral innate immunity pattern recognition molecules</a>
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<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-clinical-trials">From Clinical Trials</h1>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Study of Intravenous COVI-MSC for Treatment of COVID-19-Induced Acute Respiratory Distress</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>: Biological: COVI-MSC; Drug: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsor</b>: Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
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<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Study of Allogeneic Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Treatment of COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>: Biological: COVI-MSC; Drug: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsor</b>: Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Study to Evaluate a Single Intranasal Dose of STI-2099 (COVI-DROPS™) in Outpatient Adults With COVID-19 (US)</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>: Biological: COVI-DROPS; Drug: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsor</b>: Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Study of Allogeneic Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Treat Post COVID-19 “Long Haul” Pulmonary Compromise</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Intervention</b>: Biological: COVI-MSC<br/><b>Sponsor</b>: Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Intramuscular VIR-7831 (Sotrovimab) for Mild/Moderate COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Intervention</b>: Biological: VIR-7831<br/><b>Sponsors</b>: Vir Biotechnology, Inc.; GlaxoSmithKline<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Collecting Respiratory Sound Samples From Corona Patients to Extend the Diagnostic Capability of VOQX Electronic Stethoscope to Diagnose COVID-19 Patients</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: COVID-19<br/><b>Intervention</b>: Diagnostic Test: Electronic stethoscope<br/><b>Sponsor</b>: Sanolla<br/><b>Recruiting</b></p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>To Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of TQ Formula in Covid-19 Participants</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Intervention</b>: Drug: Black Seed Oil Cap/Tab<br/><b>Sponsor</b>: Novatek Pharmaceuticals<br/><b>Recruiting</b></p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The Burden of COVID-19 Survivorship</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Intervention</b>: Other: Exercise Training<br/><b>Sponsor</b>: Mayo Clinic<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Evaluation of the INDICAID™ COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>: Device: Rapid antigen testing and offsite PCR testing; Device: Rapid antigen testing and onsite PCR testing<br/><b>Sponsor</b>: University of California, Los Angeles<br/><b>Completed</b></p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Coughed Droplets From Patients With COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Intervention</b>: Device: PneumoniaCheck<br/><b>Sponsors</b>: Emory University; Georgia Tech Foundation<br/><b>Recruiting</b></p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Epidemiologic Intelligence Network (EpI-Net) to Promote COVID-19 Testing</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Intervention</b>: Other: Epi-Net Intervention<br/><b>Sponsors</b>: Ponce Medical School Foundation, Inc.; Duke University; Harvard School of Public Health<br/><b>Recruiting</b></p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Exploratory Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of RUTI® Against SARS-COV-2 Infection (COVID-19) in Healthcare Workers</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid-19<br/><b>Interventions</b>: Biological: RUTI® vaccine; Biological: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsor</b>: RUTI Immunotherapeutics S.L.<br/><b>Recruiting</b></p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Safety and Efficacy of Exosomes Overexpressing CD24 in Two Doses for Patients With Moderate or Severe COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: Covid19<br/><b>Intervention</b>: Drug: CovenD24<br/><b>Sponsors</b>: Athens Medical Society; OBCTCD24 Ltd; Elpen Pharmaceutical Co. Inc.<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A Clinical Trial of Immunobridging and Lot-to-lot Consistency of COVID-19 Vaccine (Ad5-nCoV) in Different Age Groups.</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: COVID-19<br/><b>Interventions</b>: Biological: Recombinant Novel Coronavirus Vaccine (Adenovirus Type 5 Vector) 0.5ml; Biological: Recombinant Novel Coronavirus Vaccine (Adenovirus Type 5 Vector) 0.3ml<br/><b>Sponsors</b>: CanSino Biologics Inc.; Jiangsu Province Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<br/><b>Recruiting</b></p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A Global Phase III Clinical Trial of Recombinant COVID- 19 Vaccine (Sf9 Cells)</strong> - <b>Condition</b>: COVID-19<br/><b>Interventions</b>: Biological: Recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells); Other: Placebo control<br/><b>Sponsors</b>: WestVac Biopharma Co., Ltd.; West China Hospital<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-pubmed">From PubMed</h1>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A tale of two diseases: Sarcoidosis, COVID-19 and new therapeutic options with dual RAS inhibition and tetanus-diphtheria vaccine</strong> - Sars Cov-2, the pathogen which belongs to the beta coronavirus family that is responsible for COVID-19, uses Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a receptor, which is responsible for controlling the actions of renin-angiotensin system (RAS). Sars Cov-2 - ACE2 binding leads to a RAS mediated immune response, which targets especially lungs to form ARDS, which in turn, is the most important cause of mortality in COVID-19. CD8^(+) T cell response dominates over CD4^(+) T cell response and…</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Active components in Ephedra sinica Stapf disrupt the interaction between ACE2 and SARS-CoV-2 RBD: potent COVID-19 therapeutic agents</strong> - CONCLUSION: These findings suggested that quinoline-2-carboxylic acids in Ephedra sinica could be considered as potential therapeutic agents for COVID-19. Further, this study provided some justification for the ethnomedicinal use of Ephedra sinica for COVID-19.</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Changes in Language Style and Topics in an Online Eating Disorder Community at the Beginning of the Global COVID-19 Pandemic: Observational Study</strong> - CONCLUSIONS: While we observed a reduction in discussions about ED symptoms an increase of mental health and treatment-related topics was observed at the same time. This points to a change in the focus of the ED community from promoting potentially harmful weight loss methods to bringing attention to mental health and treatments for ED. These results together with heightened cognitive processing, increased social references, and reduced inhibition of negative emotions detected in discussions…</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>SARS-CoV-2 sensing by RIG-I and MDA5 links epithelial infection to macrophage inflammation</strong> - SARS-CoV-2 infection causes broad-spectrum immunopathological disease, exacerbated by inflammatory co-morbidities. A better understanding of mechanisms underpinning virus-associated inflammation is required to develop effective therapeutics. Here we discover that SARS-CoV-2 replicates rapidly in lung epithelial cells despite triggering a robust innate immune response through activation of cytoplasmic RNA-sensors RIG-I and MDA5. The inflammatory mediators produced during epithelial cell infection…</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Immunomodulatory role and potential utility of various nutrients and dietary components in SARS-CoV-2 infection</strong> - Recently, the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome cornoavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has become a great perturbation all around the globe and has many devastating effects on every aspect of life. Apart from the oxygen therapy and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, Remdesivir and Dexamethasone have been proven to be efficacious against COVID-19, along with various vaccine candidates and monoclonal antibody cocktail therapy for Regeneron. All of…</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Synergistic inhibition of two host factors that facilitate entry of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2</strong> - Repurposing FDA-approved inhibitors able to prevent infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) could provide a rapid path to establish new therapeutic options to mitigate the effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Proteolytic cleavages of the spike S protein of SARS-CoV-2, mediated by the host cell proteases cathepsin and TMPRSS2, alone or in combination, are key early activation steps required for efficient infection. The PIKfyve kinase inhibitor apilimod…</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>SARS-CoV-2 Spreads through Cell-to-Cell Transmission</strong> - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly transmissible coronavirus responsible for the global COVID-19 pandemic. Herein we provide evidence that SARS-CoV-2 spreads through cell-cell contact in cultures, mediated by the spike glycoprotein. SARS-CoV-2 spike is more efficient in facilitating cell-to-cell transmission than SARS-CoV spike, which reflects, in part, their differential cell-cell fusion activity. Interestingly, treatment of cocultured cells with endosomal…</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Assessment of nitric oxide (NO) potential to mitigate COVID-19 severity</strong> - Novel coronavirus disease by SARS-CoV-2 virus (also known as COVID-19) has emerged as major health concern worldwide. While, there is no specific drugs for treating this infection till date, SARS-CoV-2 had spread to most countries around the globe. Nitric oxide (NO) gas serves as an important signaling molecule having vasodilatory effects as well as anti-microbial properties. Previous studies from the 2004 SARS-CoV infection demonstrated that NO may also help to reduce respiratory tract…</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>In-silico evaluation of bioactive compounds from tea as potential SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural protein 16 inhibitors</strong> - BACKGROUND AND AIM: A novel coronavirus, called the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been found to cause COVID-19 in humans and some other mammals. The nonstructural protein 16 (NSP16) of SARS-CoV-2 plays a significant part in the replication of viruses and suppresses the ability of innate immune system to detect the virus. Therefore, inhibiting NSP16 can be a secure path towards identifying a potent medication against SARS-CoV-2. Tea (Camellia sinensis)…</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A metabolic modeling approach reveals promising therapeutic targets and antiviral drugs to combat COVID-19</strong> - In this study we have developed a method based on Flux Balance Analysis to identify human metabolic enzymes which can be targeted for therapeutic intervention against COVID-19. A literature search was carried out in order to identify suitable inhibitors of these enzymes, which were confirmed by docking calculations. In total, 10 targets and 12 bioactive molecules have been predicted. Among the most promising molecules we identified Triacsin C, which inhibits ACSL3, and which has been shown to be…</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>SARS-CoV-2 RNAemia and proteomic trajectories inform prognostication in COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care</strong> - Prognostic characteristics inform risk stratification in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We obtained blood samples (n = 474) from hospitalized COVID-19 patients (n = 123), non-COVID-19 ICU sepsis patients (n = 25) and healthy controls (n = 30). Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA was detected in plasma or serum (RNAemia) of COVID-19 ICU patients when neutralizing antibody response was low. RNAemia is associated with higher…</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Computational details of molecular structure, spectroscopic properties, topological studies and SARS-Cov-2 enzyme molecular docking simulation of substituted triazolo pyrimidine thione heterocycles</strong> - Investigation the molecular structure of the system requires a detailed experience in dealing with theoretical computational guides to highlight its important role. Molecular structure of three heterocyclic compounds 8,10-diphenylpyrido[3,2-e][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-c]pyrimidine-3(2H)-thione (HL), 8-phenyl-10-(p-tolyl)pyrido[3,2-e][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-c]pyrimidine-3(2H)-thione (CH(3)L) and10-(4-nitrophenyl)-8-phenylpyrido[3,2-e][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-c]pyrimidine-3(2H)-thione (NO(2)L) was studied at…</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Signal-regulatory protein alpha is an anti-viral entry factor targeting viruses using endocytic pathways</strong> - Signal-regulatory protein alpha (SIRPA) is a well-known inhibitor of phagocytosis when it complexes with CD47 expressed on target cells. Here we show that SIRPA decreased in vitro infection by a number of pathogenic viruses, including New World and Old world arenaviruses, Zika virus, vesicular stomatitis virus and pseudoviruses bearing the Machupo virus, Ebola virus and SARS-CoV-2 glycoproteins, but not HSV-1, MLV or mNoV. Moreover, mice with targeted mutation of the Sirpa gene that renders it…</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Identification of novel drug candidates for the inhibition of catalytic cleavage activity of coronavirus 3CL-like protease enzyme</strong> - CONCLUSION: Thus, the present study offers two novel chemical entities against coronavirus infections, which can be validated through various biological assays.</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Hepatitis C Virus Protease Inhibitors Show Differential Efficacy and Interactions with Remdesivir for Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 in Vitro</strong> - Antivirals targeting SARS-CoV-2 could improve treatment of COVID-19. We evaluated efficacy of clinically relevant hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 protease inhibitors (PI) against SARS-CoV-2 and their interactions with remdesivir, the only direct-acting antiviral approved for COVID-19 treatment. HCV PI showed differential potency in short-term treatment assays based on detection of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein in VeroE6 cells. Linear PI boceprevir, telaprevir and narlaprevir had 50% effective…</p></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-patent-search">From Patent Search</h1>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>폐마스크 밀봉 회수기</strong> - 본 발명은 마스크 착용 후 버려지는 일회용 폐마스크를 비닐봉지에 넣은 후 밀봉하여 배출함으로써, 2차 감염을 예방하고 일반 생활폐기물과 선별 분리 배출하여 환경오염을 방지하는 데 그 목적이 있다. - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=KR325788342">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>COST EFFECTIVE PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR FOR COVID-19</strong> - - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=AU324964715">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>METHOD OF IDENTIFYING SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME CORONA VIRUS 2 (SARS-COV-2) RIBONUCLEIC ACID (RNA)</strong> - - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=AU323956811">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>IMPROVEMENTS RELATED TO PARTICLE, INCLUDING SARS-CoV-2, DETECTION AND METHODS THEREFOR</strong> - - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=AU323295937">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>DEEP LEARNING BASED SYSTEM FOR DETECTION OF COVID-19 DISEASE OF PATIENT AT INFECTION RISK</strong> - The present invention relates to Deep learning based system for detection of covid-19 disease of patient at infection risk. The objective of the present invention is to solve the problems in the prior art related to technologies of detection of covid-19 disease using CT scan image processing. - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=IN324122821">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Wiederverwendbare Maske</strong> -
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
|
||||
</p><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">Wiederverwendbare Maske, mit einem Maskenkörper (100), einem Fixierband (300) zum Befestigen des Maskenkörpers (100) an einem menschlichen Gesicht, einer auswechselbaren Schicht (200), die zwischen dem menschlichen Gesicht und dem Maskenkörper (100) angeordnet ist, und einem Fixierteil (400) zum Fixieren der auswechselbaren Schicht auf dem Maskenkörper (100).</p></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<img alt="embedded image" id="EMI-D00000"/>
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<ul>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=DE325736702">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A COMPREHENSIVE DISINFECTION SYSTEM DURING PANDEMIC FOR PERSONAL ITEMS AND PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) TO SAFEGUARD PEOPLE</strong> - 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 - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=IN322882412">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>UBIQUITOUS COMPUTING SYSTEM FOR MENTAL HEALTH MONITORING OF PERSON DURING THE PANDEMIC OF COVID-19</strong> - - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=AU323295498">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>一种预判重症新冠肺炎(COVID-19)的标志物及其产品和用途</strong> - 本发明提供了一种预判重症疾病的标志物,所述的预判重症疾病的标志物为S100A12,序列为SEQ ID NO.1,所述的重症疾病为重症新冠肺炎、重症感染中的一种。S100A12基因作为标志物,在预判重症疾病时对全血中的S100A12基因的表达水平进行检测即可,无需对白细胞进行分离,简化检测流程。S100A12的表达水平可以指导感染类疾病包括新冠肺炎重症的预判,从而及早施治,降低病死率,具有很好的临床应用前景。 - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=CN325296031">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>一种新型冠状病毒COVID-19-S1蛋白的表达和纯化方法</strong> - 本发明属于生物技术领域,具体涉及一种新型冠状病毒COVID‑19‑S1蛋白的表达和纯化方法。本发明提供的方法,主要包括构建COVID‑19‑S1蛋白表达质粒、将COVID‑19‑S1蛋白表达质粒转化、培养表达COVID‑19‑S1蛋白、纯化COVID‑19‑S1蛋白等过程。本发明将能在293F细胞中高分泌表达蛋白的信号肽与Kozak区和编码人COVID‑19‑S1蛋白的基因进行重组,来提高目的蛋白的表达量和分泌量。采用本发明提供的方法,可以解决新型冠状病毒COVID‑19‑S1蛋白分泌量低、纯度低的问题,为免疫学快速诊断、制备单抗、开展解析蛋白结构研究等提供物质基础。 - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=CN325375143">link</a></p></li>
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</ul>
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<h1 data-aos="fade-down" id="daily-dose">Daily-Dose</h1>
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<h1 data-aos="fade-right" data-aos-anchor-placement="top-bottom" id="contents">Contents</h1>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li><a href="#from-new-yorker">From New Yorker</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a href="#from-vox">From Vox</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a href="#from-the-hindu-sports">From The Hindu: Sports</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a href="#from-the-hindu-national-news">From The Hindu: National News</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a href="#from-bbc-europe">From BBC: Europe</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a href="#from-ars-technica">From Ars Technica</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a href="#from-jokes-subreddit">From Jokes Subreddit</a></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-new-yorker">From New Yorker</h1>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Netanyahu’s Likely Departure Is Not Easing the Fears of Palestinians</strong> - Attacks by settlers in the West Bank have been on the rise for years—and a new Israeli government is no guarantee of change. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/netanyahus-likely-departure-is-not-easing-the-fears-of-palestinians">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Is There Any Time Left for Maya Wiley?</strong> - The former City Hall lawyer, who has received the endorsement of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, considers herself the last progressive standing in New York’s mayoral race. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-local-correspondents/is-there-any-time-left-for-maya-wiley">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The Importance of Teaching Dred Scott</strong> - By limiting discussion of the infamous Supreme Court decision, law-school professors risk minimizing the role of racism in American history. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-importance-of-teaching-dred-scott">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The ProPublica Revelations Show Why We Need to Tax Wealth More Effectively</strong> - How Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Michael Bloomberg, George Soros, and other American billionaires have gamed the system. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-propublica-revelations-show-why-we-need-to-tax-wealth-more-effectively">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The Joy of Crossing Paths with Strangers</strong> - Now that the pandemic is winding down, there are a lot of plans to make. Still, it’s the unplanned encounters that I miss most. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/dept-of-returns/the-joy-of-crossing-paths-with-strangers">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-vox">From Vox</h1>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li><strong>New York gave every detained immigrant a lawyer. It could serve as a national model.</strong> -
|
||||
<figure>
|
||||
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/yHGruH7gUkJ5qujLl7JL9I_2clU=/177x0:5297x3840/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69427007/986294232.0.jpg"/>
|
||||
<figcaption>
|
||||
Protesters gather to demonstrate against the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision to uphold President Trump’s travel ban against five Muslim-majority nations on June 26, 2018, in Foley Square, New York City. | Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images
|
||||
</figcaption>
|
||||
</figure>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
|
||||
Biden wants to expand immigrants’ access to legal representation.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="oWEPuu">
|
||||
Deportation can carry grave consequences. An immigrant might have to leave behind their family, abandon years-long ties to their community, and return to a country where they may have previously faced threats to their life and livelihood — even the kind that might have qualified them for humanitarian protection in the US had they been able to prove it.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="TquDce">
|
||||
But despite those potential costs, they aren’t entitled to a lawyer when facing deportation proceedings in immigration court. The Constitution’s Sixth Amendment, which guarantees a public defender to anyone accused of a crime, doesn’t apply.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="wwWl05">
|
||||
The Biden administration is looking to address this. Last month, the president signed a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/05/18/fact-sheet-president-biden-to-sign-presidential-memorandum-to-expand-access-to-legal-representation-and-the-courts/">presidential memorandum</a> aimed at expanding access to legal representation and the courts, including for low-income people, immigrants, and asylum seekers. While details of the plan are short, he has asked the Justice Department to restart its access to justice work, which was on hiatus during the Trump administration, and convened a roundtable of civil legal aid organizations to advise him.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="jEQz2I">
|
||||
But the Biden administration need not look far for potential solutions: The New York Immigrant Family Unity Project, a first-of-its-kind program that provides publicly funded lawyers to every detained or incarcerated immigrant in the state, offers a helpful model.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="1kBBkd">
|
||||
The project started with a $500,000 grant from the New York City Council in 2013, and was based out of a single immigration court in lower Manhattan. Now the program receives $16.6 million in public funding to support more than 100 staff, including attorneys, paralegals, social workers, and administrators who work to improve outcomes for immigrants statewide.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="PIxtfj">
|
||||
Advocates and experts say the New York project has since inspired similar local efforts around the country.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="v7O8gS">
|
||||
“New York City is a great story where it started with a relatively small pilot project only trying to represent a fraction of the population, but then being able to expand on that at the state level after demonstrating success,” said Annie Chen, program director of the Vera Institute’s SAFE Initiative, which works with governments, legal service providers, and advocates to push for universal representation. “The last couple of years, local and state government have been innovating and setting up these types of programs that are really paving the way for federal action.”
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="NU7WZU">
|
||||
Biden now has an opportunity to take advantage of that momentum.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<h3 id="SGTcj0">
|
||||
How New York created a model for universal representation
|
||||
</h3>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="HXN8Z5">
|
||||
New York was the first state to recognize the importance of providing universal representation to immigrants in detention, and it has since inspired similar state and local initiatives nationwide. There are now 43 publicly funded local and state deportation defense programs nationwide within 11 states, from <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Harris-County-OKs-2-5M-to-help-poor-immigrants-15717330.php">Harris County, Texas</a>, to <a href="https://justicecorps.org/news/prince-georges-county-pledges-half-a-million-dollars-towards-access-to-counsel-for-detained-immigrants/">Prince George’s County, Maryland</a>.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="iFNPIc">
|
||||
It started with Second Circuit Chief Judge Robert Katzmann, who convened a group of lawyers to study the issue in 2011 after noticing that many of the immigrants who came before him in the appeals court lost out on potential opportunities for deportation relief because they didn’t have a lawyer to guide them.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="HIadGY">
|
||||
The group came out with a <a href="https://justicecorps.org/app/uploads/2020/06/New-York-Immigrant-Representation-Study-I-NYIRS-Steering-Committee-1.pdf">report</a> that found that nearly two-thirds of immigrants in New York were unrepresented, and just 3 percent of detained, unrepresented immigrants had successful outcomes. It also identified a dearth of legal talent available to fill that need.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="EhSsxK">
|
||||
The report was the catalyst for the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project, which started out of the Varick Street immigration court in Manhattan.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="jGTPvS">
|
||||
Sarah Deri Oshiro, who is now managing director of the immigration practice at the Bronx Defenders, had been working on deportation defense at Varick Street for five years prior to the implementation of the program. She saw a grim reality for detained, unrepresented immigrants, despite the city’s robust network of legal services organizations.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="LmBU7x">
|
||||
“Given the time- and resource-intensive nature of representing people who are in custody and litigating very complicated cases where the immigrant bears the burden of proof to win relief and the laws are stacked against them, people just didn’t have the resources to do much free detained deportation defense work,” she told me.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="wNvUer">
|
||||
That changed in 2013. Lawyers from several nonprofits designated by the New York City council — Bronx Defenders, Brooklyn Defender Services, and the Legal Aid Society — chose a few days a week when they would take on every case where the individual had an income at least 200 percent below the poverty line, rather than just picking those that appeared likely to succeed.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="H0euGt">
|
||||
That was an important statement to the city, private funders, and the community that an immigrant’s right to fight their case shouldn’t be based on whether they are qualified to stay in the US, said Deri Oshiro, who was part of the Bronx Defenders team that got the program off the ground. And it forced the lawyers to become better advocates.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="cww25m">
|
||||
“We were able to take on more challenging cases and really change the way that the judges interpret the law,” she said. “We were making new, better law.” They were also able to build credibility with government lawyers from the Department of Homeland Security and the immigration judges, as well as hold them accountable.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="k2aHAB">
|
||||
They didn’t take every case to trial — some people just didn’t qualify for any relief, and in those cases, they did not encourage false hope. In the first two years of the program, between 30 percent and 40 percent of their clients agreed to be deported at their first or second immigration court hearings, Deri Oshiro said.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="n7G42u">
|
||||
That facilitated efficiency, which is critical, as the nation’s immigration courts currently face a backlog of <a href="https://trac.syr.edu/phptools/immigration/court_backlog/">more than 1.3 million cases</a> that have been pending for an average of about two and a half years.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="QtmHi3">
|
||||
“I think that we got a lot of credibility as people who are not necessarily trying to derail the system all the time,” Deri Oshiro said.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="yd8QaC">
|
||||
But for those who did qualify for deportation relief, they were able to secure better outcomes. By 2017, the Vera Institute of Justice <a href="https://www.vera.org/publications/new-york-immigrant-family-unity-project-evaluation">estimated</a> a 48 percent success rate for immigrants in the program — a more than 1,000 percent increase from the success rate of immigrants at Varick Street prior to the program’s implementation. And immigrants in the program had been released from detention at almost twice the rate of unrepresented people at comparable immigration courts.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="fw9K4h">
|
||||
The program also helped sustain community and family ties. Clients had on average been living in the US for 16 years by the time they faced deportation and were parents to 1,859 children living in the US, the vast majority of whom had US citizenship or some other form of legal immigration status, according to the Vera Institute.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="FyMa3i">
|
||||
The program eventually expanded across New York City and, in 2015, to immigration courts based at three prisons upstate: the Downstate Correctional Facility in Fishkill, Ulster Correctional Facility in Napanoch, and Bedford Hills Correctional Facility.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="YE3TkJ">
|
||||
Expanding into the prison system involved its own challenges, said Rosa Cohen-Cruz, who helped oversee the buildout as a senior immigration attorney at Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York. Immigrants were often brought to those courts for their hearings from other correctional facilities hours away, making it difficult for the attorneys to meet with their clients.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="z7vjbB">
|
||||
The cases were also by nature more difficult because immigrants held on criminal charges or who have criminal records are limited in their ability to be released and to get relief from deportation.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="WD2T5w">
|
||||
But today, there is full universal representation for all detained or incarcerated immigrants facing deportation in New York state.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="eCMglE">
|
||||
“Our organizations are clearly committed to providing legal advocacy to people who’ve had the most serious criminal convictions that you can imagine,” Deri Oshiro said. “We still think that they deserve protection.”
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<h3 id="vTGTqN">
|
||||
Advocates say Biden should invest in public defender programs for immigrants
|
||||
</h3>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="wRMkEn">
|
||||
The New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) can serve as a model for other public deportation programs nationwide and for the Biden administration as it looks for federal solutions to the crisis of representation.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="7EKYyV">
|
||||
Many local governments already are starting to wade into deportation defense but could expand with more funding. That presents an immediate and pressing opportunity, said Jojo Annobil, executive director of Immigrant Justice Corps, which trains lawyers and advocates in deportation defense to support programs like NYIFUP across the US.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="UHISk5">
|
||||
“The NYIFUP model is definitely scalable,” Annobil said. “Funding brings fairness and dignity to the system. I think we have an urgency here to do it right.”
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="VbVovO">
|
||||
In the past, the Vera Institute has partnered with places that had never had a deportation defense program before, starting with a public defender office that brings in lawyers with immigration defense expertise to build a program from the ground up. And programs have started as a collaboration among legal services providers and law school clinics.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="5nlGKF">
|
||||
But there were critical lessons from getting NYIFUP off the ground. A major challenge was convincing backers in the New York City Council that the lawyers couldn’t take on the same volume of clients as expected of public defenders in the criminal system. In the immigration courts, there isn’t a system of plea bargaining, and the burden of proof falls on the immigrant, rather than on the government. That increases the workload and limits how many cases they can pursue and how quickly they can resolve them.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="GnMxaH">
|
||||
“We were wildly underfunded for the amount of work that our staff was required to do for every client for a long time,” Deri Oshiro said. “I wouldn’t say that workload feels perfectly manageable now, even now that we’re much more robustly funded.”
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="fSNv0E">
|
||||
In order to effectively argue cases, the program has come to rely not just on competent attorneys but also on a range of support staff: social workers, translators, administrators, interpreters, and mental health providers. All of them are necessary to building an effective case.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="mjWqcr">
|
||||
“I really saw the difference that that kind of staffing can make in helping navigate the myriad issues that lawyers don’t have expertise in,” Cohen-Cruz said.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="icNO5H">
|
||||
Maintaining that level of staffing requires funding, and some of that money could come from the Biden administration, to ease pressure on local resources.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="ZeOBSv">
|
||||
Deri Oshiro said it was also important that all the organizations involved in NYIFUP were public defender agencies, and not just civil immigration legal services organizations. As public defenders, they were accustomed to holding the government to their burden of proof — for example, to first prove that someone is, in fact, an undocumented immigrant from whatever country the government alleges, via evidence obtained lawfully, before seeking any relief from deportation. They also came from a culture where having contact with the criminal legal system doesn’t mean that someone is any less worthy of representation.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="SiLWzj">
|
||||
If the federal government were to implement a federal public defender system for deportation defense, it would have to ensure that it could attract competent lawyers to areas that don’t already have a robust network of deportation defense services. It’s possible that federal public defenders or even US Immigration and Customs Enforcement attorneys could become federal immigrant defenders, with the requisite funding and competitive salaries.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="kkR7N3">
|
||||
“If they fund it properly, I don’t think that the lack of local immigrant legal service expertise would be a hindrance,” Deri Oshiro said. “You have got to go big or go home.”
|
||||
</p></li>
|
||||
<li><strong>A company you’ve probably never heard of caused half the internet to go dark</strong> -
|
||||
<figure>
|
||||
<img alt="Pedestrians and taxis outside the New York Times building in New York City." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4eXwJd94Hx6J7RkYKdw3nEE2gb8=/207x0:4194x2990/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69422288/GettyImages_803544702.0.jpg"/>
|
||||
<figcaption>
|
||||
Websites, including the New York Times and Amazon, were impacted by the Fastly outage Tuesday morning. | Volkan Furuncu/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
|
||||
</figcaption>
|
||||
</figure>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
|
||||
Countless websites, including major news outlets, were offline after an outage at Fastly, a cloud computing provider.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="cc9gni">
|
||||
Swaths of websites went down on Tuesday morning after an outage at the cloud computing services provider Fastly. Internet users were unable to access major news outlets, e-commerce platforms, and even government websites. Everyone from Amazon to the New York Times to the White House was affected.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="QJ1fUG">
|
||||
At around 6:30 am ET, Fastly said it applied a “fix” to the issue, and many of the websites that went down seemed to be working again as of 9 am ET. Still, the outage highlights how dependent, centralized, and susceptible the infrastructure supporting the internet — especially cloud computing providers that the average user doesn’t directly interact with — actually is. This is at least the third time in less than a year that a problem at a large cloud computing provider has led to countless websites and apps going dark.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="ZSnAVP">
|
||||
Fastly is a content delivery network (CDN), which maintains a network of servers that transfer content quickly from websites to users. The company, which counts Shopify, Stripe, and countless media outlets as customers, <a href="https://www.fastly.com">promises</a> “lightning fast delivery” and “advanced security.” The nature of such a network also means that problems can quickly spread and affect many of those customers at once. In the case of Tuesday’s incident, Fastly <a href="https://twitter.com/fastly/status/1402221348659814411">says</a> it “identified a service configuration that triggered disruptions” around the globe. It <a href="https://status.fastly.com/incidents/vpk0ssybt3bj">took about two hours</a> from the time the problem was identified until a fix was implemented.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="cOpYaU">
|
||||
At the moment, there’s no reason to suspect the outage was the result of a cyberattack. Still, the outage comes amid a slew of recent cyberincidents that have impacted everything from <a href="https://www.vox.com/recode/2021/6/1/22463179/jbs-foods-ransomware-attack-meat-hackers">the global meat supply</a> to a major <a href="https://www.vox.com/recode/22428774/ransomeware-pipeline-colonial-darkside-gas-prices">oil pipeline</a> in the United States.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="UiAiwW">
|
||||
It’s nevertheless clear that the outage caused momentary mayhem. The site <a href="https://downdetector.com">Downdetector</a>, which tracks complaints about website failures, shows a slew of sites received an uptick in complaints this morning, not only for media outlets like the New York Times and CNN but also for Reddit, Spotify, and Walt Disney World. Outages at payments systems like Stripe and e-commerce platforms like Shopify also suggest money could have been lost in transactions that didn’t go through, though it’s so far unclear if that’s the case.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="KALmzk">
|
||||
All Vox Media websites, including this one, were offline for a half-hour. The Verge, which is owned by Vox Media, <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisSinjo/status/1402214570278768643">transitioned</a> to offering its content on Google Docs before internet users swarmed the doc and started editing (editors accidentally left the page unrestricted). Kentik, an internet observability company, <a href="https://www.kentik.com/analysis/fastly-outage-knocks-major-websites-offline/">reported</a> that the outage was responsible for a 75 percent drop in traffic from Fastly’s servers.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="0lHe0l">
|
||||
The scale of Tuesday’s outage — and the frequency of large outages like this one — is what’s really worrisome.<strong> </strong>Last July, connection issues between two of the data centers operated by Cloudflare <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2020/07/17/cloudflare-dns-goes-down-taking-a-large-piece-of-the-internet-with-it/">ultimately took</a> many sites, including Politico, League of Legends, and Discord, briefly offline. Then, <a href="https://aws.amazon.com/message/11201/">a data-processing problem for Amazon Web Services</a> last November caused problems for sites like the Chicago Tribune, the security camera company Ring, and <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/11/25/21719396/amazon-web-services-aws-outage-down-internet">Glassdoor</a>. The Fastly outage shows the trend continuing, especially as most of the web remains increasingly dependent on cloud providers.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="8auTq7">
|
||||
While the issue seems to be fixed for now, it will take some time to measure the damage caused by even a couple hours of downtime at a major cloud computing provider. And that leaves the world anxiously awaiting the next time this happens.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<h3 id="jLxMaq">
|
||||
Why these outages feel like they’re getting worse
|
||||
</h3>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Y86xk3">
|
||||
One of the reasons the Fastly outage seems so wide scale is that cloud computing service companies like Fastly are consolidating, leaving websites dependent on a shrinking number of providers. Even if there aren’t that many total outages, the fact that so many everyday sites rely on fewer cloud providers makes each individual outage feel pretty significant to an average internet user who just wanted to buy some stuff on Amazon and read the New York Times early Tuesday morning.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="NAu3jP">
|
||||
There are benefits to consolidation, explains Doug Madory, the head of internet analysis at the network monitoring company Kentik. For instance, a smaller number of cloud providers means it’s much easier to get those providers to deploy a particular security change. “The flip side is the liability [of] having a few megacompanies, whether they’re CDNs or other types of internet firms, responsible for a lot of our internet activities,” Madory told Recode.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="hFfZhO">
|
||||
In other words, when one of these megacompanies updates its systems and inadvertently causes an outage, the damage radius could be quite wide. This is what happened in 2011 when one of Amazon’s cloud computing systems, Elastic Block Store (EBS), crashed and brought Reddit, Quora, and Foursquare offline. After the incident, Amazon explained that engineers inadvertently caused <a href="https://aws.amazon.com/message/65648/">technical problems</a> that trickled down through its systems and caused the outage.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="6AwAeI">
|
||||
“You end up with these cascading failures,” explained Christopher Meiklejohn, a PhD student at Carnegie Mellon’s Institute for Software Research. “They’re difficult to debug. They’re stressful and difficult to resolve. And they can be very difficult to detect early on when you’re thinking about making that change, because the systems are so complex and they involve so many moving parts.”
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="NL6D1H">
|
||||
Central to these challenges, Meiklejohn said, is the fact that these cloud computing systems can involve tens of thousands of servers deployed across the world. It’s very difficult for developers working on new changes to anticipate all the characteristics of the larger system, a scenario that makes it more likely for an error to occur when updates are finally implemented. Companies don’t always have the tools to detect these problems before they happen, though there’s growing research and effort into better solutions.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="zXNzht">
|
||||
The Fastly outage also happened amid growing concerns about cybersecurity. Now, many are anxious for more details from Fastly — which markets itself as a dependable and speedy service — about how its systems went down. The outage serves as a reminder that the internet is built on increasingly complicated infrastructure, one that’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/08/business/fastly-internet-outage.html">global</a> and can potentially affect the sites and services of countless companies. That means little mistakes can have massive consequences.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="5pV6Fk">
|
||||
<strong>Update, June 8, 2021, 3:15 pm ET:</strong> This piece has been updated with new information and analysis.
|
||||
</p></li>
|
||||
<li><strong>Nobody knows exactly how tornadoes form — and the mystery can be deadly</strong> -
|
||||
<figure>
|
||||
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/SfqMwp25ivj9Pu-IkjS8Asuabcc=/433x0:3894x2596/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69423723/643326576.0.jpg"/>
|
||||
<figcaption>
|
||||
A stovepipe tornado cuts its way through a field in Minneola, Kansas, in 2016. | Jason Weingart/Barcroft Media via Getty Images
|
||||
</figcaption>
|
||||
</figure>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
|
||||
Tornado warnings often come minutes before disaster. Here’s what’s standing in the way of better forecasts.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="L0XlHg">
|
||||
Shortly after midnight on March 3, 2020, Moe Odhwani woke up to find his cellphone buzzing violently beside him. The screen told him that a tornado was nearing his home in East Nashville, Tennessee. In the past, these alerts had never amounted to much — but he took shelter in the garage just to be safe.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="ZNFdPs">
|
||||
It was a good thing he did. About seven to 10 minutes after the warning, the tornado howled over the area with winds in excess of 130 miles per hour. “The whole building started to shake,” says Odhwani, a 32-year-old who works in logistics. He worried that he wouldn’t survive: “Just, like, ‘This is it? This is how I’m going out?’”
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="9XYe8x">
|
||||
Odhwani stayed safe, but the storm in the area <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornado_outbreak_of_March_2%E2%80%933,_2020">killed 25 people that night</a>. Thinking back on how little warning he had, he says, “Seven or 10 minutes is definitely not enough time.”
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="fsYl0y">
|
||||
Tornadoes are some of the most deadly and damaging weather on Earth. The next day, “it was like a bomb went off in East Nashville,” Odhwani says. “Everything was destroyed.” Yet people in harm’s way are only given minutes to take cover from winds that can surpass 250 or even 300 mph.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="VqPOo9">
|
||||
This is one of the most frustrating, stagnant problems in meteorology. As of 2011, the average lead time for tornado warnings <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/stories/tornadoes-101#:~:text=The%20current%20average%20lead%2Dtime,warning%20lead%2Dtimes%20much%20further.">was just around 13 minutes</a>. But as the Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/05/21/joplin-tornado-warning-improvement-nws/">has reported</a>, lead times have been getting worse in recent years, dropping to 8.4 minutes between 2012 and 2020. Some people <a href="https://weather.com/storms/severe/news/why-tornado-not-warned">have even less warning</a>. (Odhwani says he didn’t hear the city’s warning sirens, and might have kept sleeping if his phone wasn’t nearby.) Think about it: If you had less than a quarter of an hour to prepare for devastation, what could you accomplish?
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="YMPe8G">
|
||||
The truth is that those minutes of warning actually represent an improvement. “If you look back into the ’50s, even as late as the ’70s or the ’80s, tornadoes … they kind of came out of nowhere,” says <a href="https://staff.ucar.edu/users/jweber">Jeff Weber</a>, a scientist at the <a href="https://www.ucar.edu/">University Corporation for Atmospheric Research</a>. In 1990, the average lead time was <a href="https://www.outlook.noaa.gov/tornadoes/tipsheet.htm">five minutes</a>.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<div class="c-float-right">
|
||||
<div id="5VxzLN">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Z6dvxn">
|
||||
Between 1990 and 2019, tornadoes killed, on average, 68 people per year, <a href="https://www.weather.gov/hazstat/">according to the National Weather Service</a>. Tornadoes can also cause billions of <a href="https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/events.pdf">dollars’ worth of damage in any given year</a>.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="VT2bPi">
|
||||
The lack of progress on tornado warnings is frustrating considering just how good meteorologists have gotten at predicting other severe weather, including hurricanes. In 2019, the National Hurricane Center’s <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/verification/figs/ALtkerrtrd.jpg">predictions</a> three days in advance of a storm were more accurate than its predictions one day in advance of a storm in 1990.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="jujZTa">
|
||||
When tornado warnings do come, an actual twister may not follow. The <a href="https://www.weather.gov/lwx/IdentifyThreatsTOR">vast majority</a> of tornado warnings issued by the National Weather Service prove to be false alarms; in some years, the false alarm rate can be <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2017/04/20/americans-are-getting-less-advance-notice-for-tornadoes-as-researchers-struggle-to-understand-why/">as high as 70 to 80 percent</a>. Tornado forecasting hasn’t improved much <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/05/21/joplin-tornado-warning-improvement-nws/">since the 2011</a> tornado disaster <a href="https://weather.com/storms/tornado/news/2021-05-19-joplin-tornado-memories">in Joplin, Missouri</a>, killed <a href="https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/wcas/6/2/wcas-d-13-00022_1.xml#:~:text=On%2022%20May%202011%2C%20a,%2C%20Missouri%2C%20killing%20162%20people.">162 people</a>.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="R71REM">
|
||||
Tornado predictions are clearly an unresolved problem in meteorology. But weather researchers are optimistic they can solve it.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="2ibxdf">
|
||||
“There’s no doubt in my mind that in 100 years from now, we’ll probably be able to have a far greater accuracy for warning communities when a tornado is going to literally drop out of the sky,” Weber says.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="kjNpYY">
|
||||
To do that, scientists will need to confront these storms head-on — and start to solve the mystery of how they form.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<h3 id="v96HAe">
|
||||
Why forecasting tornadoes is so hard
|
||||
</h3>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="7EixJH">
|
||||
Why is it so hard to predict when a tornado is going to touch down?
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="0fm1bH">
|
||||
Scientists know tornadoes mainly form out of huge, violent “supercell” thunderstorms, which are particularly violent storms that rotate as if they were mini hurricanes. These storms are particularly common<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/03/29/replacing-term-tornado-alley-south/"> in the middle and southeastern portions </a>of the United States, where moist, warm air from the Gulf of Mexico meets dry air from the Mountain West and Southwest. They’re especially likely to form during the spring and early summer.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<figure class="e-image">
|
||||
<img alt=" " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/nAMkV7MrykjGloOOU_7ho270zAM=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22643200/Tornado_Alley_Diagram.jpg"/> <cite><a class="ql-link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Dancraggs" target="_blank">Dan Craggs</a>/Wikipedia</cite>
|
||||
</figure>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="O7U0mF">
|
||||
The problem is that meteorologists can look at two supercell thunderstorms that seem identical, and only one of them will produce a tornado. “Why is not well understood,” <a href="https://www.ou.edu/coe/cs/people/mcgovern">Amy McGovern</a>, a meteorologist at the University of Oklahoma, says.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="dmZZLw">
|
||||
This is also why the false alarm rate for tornado warnings is so high: Forecasters just can’t easily tell when a storm that looks<em> </em>like it could produce a tornado actually will.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="X0hVpz">
|
||||
Scientists do understand the ingredients that go into creating the type of supercell storms that produce the most violent tornadoes.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="kWJkQR">
|
||||
Check out Vox’s video on why the central US spawns so many tornadoes:
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<div id="chFdqg">
|
||||
<div class="volume-video" id="volume-placement-907">
|
||||
|
||||
</div></div></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="e8JO8S">
|
||||
You need a lot of moisture in the atmosphere and a lot of wind shear, or variations in wind speed and direction (this gets a storm spinning). You also need atmospheric instability, which allows updrafts to occur, and lift, or upward motion of air that gets the storm to spin along a vertical axis.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="XumUT3">
|
||||
“Each of those, you can think of them as like four knobs … and depending on how much you tune one versus the other, that will determine what type of thunderstorm you get and how likely it is to produce a tornado,” says <a href="https://www.eaps.purdue.edu/people/profile/rtanama.html">Robin Tanamachi</a>, a tornado scientist at Purdue University.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<div class="c-float-left">
|
||||
<figure class="e-image">
|
||||
<img alt=" " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2o6hv_G4NyJdYa4LtcAUAWDoRPE=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22643640/windshear.jpg"/> <cite><a class="ql-link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercell#/media/File:Meso-1.svg" target="_blank">Vanessa Ezekowitz</a>/Wikipedia</cite>
|
||||
<figcaption>
|
||||
Wind shear gets air spinning in a horizontal direction.
|
||||
</figcaption>
|
||||
</figure>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<div class="c-float-right">
|
||||
<figure class="e-image">
|
||||
<img alt=" " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CxggczXIbuJsxyFump2r2nyXan8=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22643651/updradft.jpg"/> <cite><a class="ql-link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercell#/media/File:Meso-2.svg" target="_blank">Vanessa Ezekowitz</a>/Wikipedia</cite>
|
||||
<figcaption>
|
||||
And then an updraft pushes the spinning air to spin on a vertical axis, forming the supercell storm.
|
||||
</figcaption>
|
||||
</figure>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<figure class="e-image">
|
||||
<img alt=" " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EfVBmRmYz-NvjdBq2lD2ula8aoI=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22643657/GettyImages_633646240.jpg"/> <cite>Chase Miller/Barcroft Media/Getty Images</cite>
|
||||
<figcaption>
|
||||
A supercell thunderstorm in Texas in 2016.
|
||||
</figcaption>
|
||||
</figure>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="QQdsuj">
|
||||
But whatever sparks a tornado happens on a much smaller scale — perhaps at the level of individual molecules in the atmosphere — and is highly impacted by peculiarities of the local geography. “Even trees can disrupt surface circulation as opposed to grassland,” and that can affect tornado formation, Weber says. The atmospheric conditions that produce a tornado in Oklahoma would not necessarily produce a tornado in Alabama.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="7fo7QE">
|
||||
Many storms even produce rotating winds without leading to a twister. “The question that we’re trying to solve is, how do you take that rotation and concentrate it to a point where you have this very narrow, intense vortex that we call a tornado?” Tanamachi says. Meteorologists haven’t agreed on an answer to that question yet.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="qwzEzy">
|
||||
It’s possible, if counterintuitive, for tornadoes to form from the bottom up — to start as a disturbance on the ground that then connects upward to the thunderstorm. “There may be a small eddy or swirl at the surface that, for whatever reason, happens to connect with the updraft in the thunderstorm,” Tanamachi says. “And then it’s like the skater spinning her arms, you know, she pulls her arms in and stretches and spins faster and faster.”
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="r7gDg4">
|
||||
But it’s also possible for the tornadoes to descend from the storm cloud — or a mix of the two: “In some cases, they both happen at the same time,” Tanamachi says. “The tornado seems to form simultaneously all the way from the top to the bottom all at once.”
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="6fgbee">
|
||||
Why don’t scientists know how tornadoes form? Currently, Tanamachi explains, weather radar just can’t get a good glimpse of the rapid, relatively low-altitude conditions that lead to twisters. “It seems like the processes that control whether tornadoes form or not happen on timescales of a minute or less, and within just a couple hundred feet of the surface, which is a very hard area to scan with radar,” she says.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="H87g2c">
|
||||
So whatever the trick to tornadoes is — whatever differentiates a thunderstorm that produces them from thunderstorms that don’t — is concealed as by a magician’s sleight of hand. The way to improve tornado predictions, researchers say, is to confront them head-on.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<h3 id="0yxgax">
|
||||
How to solve the tornado problem
|
||||
</h3>
|
||||
<figure class="e-image">
|
||||
<img alt="Storm Chaser Braves 2017s Most Dangerous Weather" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/q4L1Oyby6K57P9O7K8aDHRPi9Qw=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22643689/899201074.jpg"/> <cite>Jason Weingart/Barcroft Media/Getty Images</cite>
|
||||
<figcaption>
|
||||
A cone tornado on May 16, 2017, in McLean, Texas.
|
||||
</figcaption>
|
||||
</figure>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="ps4d2F">
|
||||
Hurricane forecasts have gotten so good over the past decades, Weber explains, because scientists have been able to intensely study their every move. It helps that they move more slowly than tornadoes and that they persist for days. “We can fly planes into and out of the hurricane eyewall and collect all sorts of data.”
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="dWdYkr">
|
||||
Tornadoes, by contrast, are smaller and short-lived. The scientists who study them don’t have that wealth of data to funnel into their forecasts. (Weber jokes that scientists sometimes feel cursed: Tornadoes rarely seem to appear when scientists go looking for them in the field.) To make matters worse, tornadoes easily damage scientific equipment. “Any type of sensors or equipment that you have in place will often be destroyed before they can sample all that you’re hoping to gather,” Weber says. “So being able to get a full data set of that phenomena is very difficult.”
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="xIBenq">
|
||||
But it’s not impossible. Researchers need to make more direct observations of tornadoes, Weber says — they need to chase them. Scientists “are literally running down and trying to place sensors on the ground in front of tornadoes, where they think the tornado track is going to go, so they can get the data,” he says. (The 1996 movie <em>Twister</em>, he says, is “not too far from the truth” about tornado research methods: “When tornadoes come through town here, all the citizens go down to the basement and all the scientists go to the roofs.”)
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="GZZSL9">
|
||||
Some very careful citizen science could help, too. “Even if we just get incredibly good photographs from all the angles of a tornado … that can lend knowledge,” Weber says. This does <em>not</em> mean you should run toward a tornado. Those who study tornadoes minimize the risk by chasing after them, meaning that they only follow a storm that’s moving away from them.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<div class="c-float-right">
|
||||
<div id="ETKXI7">
|
||||
<div>
|
||||
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="mAqgQB">
|
||||
Upgrades to the nation’s weather radar system could help, too. “The current radar network that we’re using dates from the late 1980s,” says Tanamachi, the Purdue meteorologist. It also involves components that have to spin, which adds some lag to the data collection. Newer systems called phased array radar, she says, don’t need to mechanically spin, and could scan an area more quickly, possibly helping meteorologists see tornadoes forming on a more granular level.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="lY1I82">
|
||||
At the University of Oklahoma, McGovern is trying to put artificial intelligence to work. Machines could pick up on hard-to-spot patterns that already exist in the radar data. She’s not sure AI can solve the mystery of how tornadoes form, but believes it can help “at least to bring the false alarm rate down.”
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<h3 id="baF6sr">
|
||||
Why meteorologists are optimistic that they can make better predictions in the future
|
||||
</h3>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="o810iL">
|
||||
What if tornadoes are just too chaotic to fully understand, and we won’t ever be able to predict them with precision? The researchers I spoke with all insist that, at the very least, we can do better than several minutes of lead time.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Eb7ahc">
|
||||
It is theoretically possible to precisely predict a tornado an hour out, Tanamachi says. This might take modeling every single molecule of the atmosphere and running it in a simulation. “Once we have that capability, we might be able to solve tornado genesis,” Tanamachi says.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="gvmZwk">
|
||||
This molecule-by-molecule modeling might sound like science fiction now, but it could be possible in the future. “There are specialized branches of physics where they literally do that” — model every molecule — “but just usually in very tiny volumes of space, like, you know, a cubic centimeter,” Tanamachi replies. It’s a matter of scaling that capacity up over time.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="QRcMM3">
|
||||
Even if meteorologists don’t succeed in predicting tornadoes, it’s worth the effort to try. This is an area of science where just small improvements could make a meaningful impact in the real world.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="rVisx0">
|
||||
A few weeks ago, a hailstorm — another incredibly hard-to-predict weather phenomenon — pelted McGovern’s house. Her family only had 10 minutes of warning before the storm hit. “We personally lost windows in our house,” she says. “If I had an hour’s warning, what else could I have done? I couldn’t move my house out of the way. But maybe I could have taken other precautions.”
|
||||
</p>
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="ZIwtOi">
|
||||
Odhwani, the tornado survivor in East Nashville, says that more time would have allowed him to “call some of my friends here that were actually sleeping,” and to help them get to safety. They too survived the storm, but he heard about others who weren’t so lucky — like two people who <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/04/us/victims-tennessee-tornado/index.html">died in the storm as they were leaving a cocktail bar</a>. “There was not really much of a warning for anyone,” he says.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="eL8Hur">
|
||||
<strong>Correction, June 8, 5:40 pm:</strong> This article was corrected to include more recent estimates of tornado warning lead times.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-the-hindu-sports">From The Hindu: Sports</h1>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>With Li Ning out as apparel sponsor, Indian Olympic Association seeks replacement ahead of Tokyo Games</strong> - The IOA is even prepared for its Indian contingent to go unbranded</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Jos Buttler, Eoin Morgan under investigation for alleged racist remarks against Indians</strong> - The England and Wales Cricket Board has promised “relevant and appropriate action”, saying each case will be considered on an individual basis.</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Suspension fine but let’s not be hard on Robinson if he didn’t repeat offensive behaviour: Holding</strong> - Ollie Robinson was suspended by the ECB, pending an investigation, after his racist and sexist tweets in 2012 and 2013 emerged on social media on the day he made his Test debut</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Ahead of WTC final, New Zealand to rest key bowlers for 2nd Test against England</strong> - With pacer Trent Boult now available for selection for the final match of the series, New Zealand can easily rest one of their other key bowlers — Tim Southee, Neil Wagner and Kyle Jamieson.</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Cricket’s practices are held together by a set of tacit agreements</strong> - The badminton great Prakash Padukone once pulled up a youngster for literally toying with an opponent, playing trick shots, pretending to smash and oc</p></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-the-hindu-national-news">From The Hindu: National News</h1>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>High Court declines to stay proceedings in tree felling</strong> - Rosewood trees from private plantations in Wayanad</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Agra hospital ‘mock drill’: Priyanka Gandhi slams Uttar Pradesh govt</strong> - Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday attacked the Yogi Adityanath dispensation over the reported “mock drill” at a private hospital in A</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Youths for the cause of starving monkeys</strong> - Team Cause joins hands with priests at Karinja Hills and supplies fruits for the simians</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Maharashtra government will amend agri law to protect interest of farmers: Minister</strong> - He said the draft law will be introduced in the monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature beginning July 5.</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Orphaned by the COVID-19 pandemic, they live to fight another day</strong> - Death of parents deprives children in Kerala not only of their presence but also leave them dependent on kin</p></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-bbc-europe">From BBC: Europe</h1>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Belarus plane: Sofia Sapega ‘not giving in’ after arrest</strong> - In the first letters to her family since her arrest, Sofia Sapega says she is “holding up” in prison.</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>France and Belgium loosen Covid restrictions for summer</strong> - Restaurants and bars have reopened to indoor guests, while rules on home-working are being eased.</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Brexit: No breakthrough in UK and EU talks over NI border checks</strong> - The two sides met as a ban on exporting chilled meat from Great Britain to Northern Ireland looms.</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Italy’s plummeting birth rate worsened by pandemic</strong> - Italy’s birth rate is at its lowest since 1861 and Covid-19 has made it harder to start a family.</p></li>
|
||||
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Russia complains to Uefa over Ukraine’s ‘political’ Euro 2020 jersey</strong> - The European football’s governing body Uefa earlier approved the kit showing Crimea as part of Ukraine.</p></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-ars-technica">From Ars Technica</h1>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Hackers can mess with HTTPS connections by sending data to your email server</strong> - Cross-protocol attacks could potentially steal login cookies or execute malicious code. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1771611">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A “disgraceful decision:” Researchers blast FDA for approving Alzheimer’s drug</strong> - Even the FDA’s own advisers and statisticians didn’t think the drug should be approved. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1771616">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Spurred by Clarence Thomas, Ohio AG wants Google declared a public utility</strong> - Ohio lawsuit quotes Justice Thomas’ opinion that websites can be common carriers. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1771599">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Fast.ly broke the Internet for an hour this morning</strong> - Every redundant system still has single points of failure—usually human. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1771582">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Pick up a recommended pair of Anker noise-canceling headphones for $60</strong> - Dealmaster also has deals on Logitech mice, Razer accessories, and more. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1771368">link</a></p></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-jokes-subreddit">From Jokes Subreddit</h1>
|
||||
<ul>
|
||||
<li><strong>This hit deeper than the dildo</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
|
||||
<div class="md">
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
|
||||
A man and woman had been married for 30 years, and in those 30 years, they always left the lights off when having sex. He was embarrassed and scared that he couldn’t please her, so he always used a big dildo on her. All these years she had no clue. One day, she decided to reach over and flip the light switch on and saw that he was using a dildo. She said “I knew it, asshole, explain the dildo!” He said, “Explain the kids!”
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<!-- SC_ON -->
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/RemoteBlackOut"> /u/RemoteBlackOut </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/nvqjyr/this_hit_deeper_than_the_dildo/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/nvqjyr/this_hit_deeper_than_the_dildo/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
|
||||
<li><strong>I saw my dwarf neighbor standing at the bus stop this morning so I stopped him.</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
|
||||
<div class="md">
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
|
||||
I said, “Jump in! I’ll give you a lift!”
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
|
||||
“Fuck off!” he said.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
|
||||
And I just thought to myself, “What an ungrateful person he is.” So I zipped up my backpack and kept on walking.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<!-- SC_ON -->
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/-Tigger"> /u/-Tigger </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/nvac8z/i_saw_my_dwarf_neighbor_standing_at_the_bus_stop/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/nvac8z/i_saw_my_dwarf_neighbor_standing_at_the_bus_stop/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
|
||||
<li><strong>My mom pointed at a guy across from our house…</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
|
||||
<div class="md">
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
|
||||
…and said, “Stay away from him, he takes drugs.”
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
|
||||
That’s sound advice, I thought to myself. I don’t want him taking mine.
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<!-- SC_ON -->
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/blackshadowed"> /u/blackshadowed </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/nvo3z4/my_mom_pointed_at_a_guy_across_from_our_house/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/nvo3z4/my_mom_pointed_at_a_guy_across_from_our_house/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
|
||||
<li><strong>What does a French cat say?</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
|
||||
<div class="md">
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
|
||||
LMAO
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<!-- SC_ON -->
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Humor-machine"> /u/Humor-machine </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/nvhxie/what_does_a_french_cat_say/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/nvhxie/what_does_a_french_cat_say/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
|
||||
<li><strong>I returned to my hotel after an evening of drinking, so I went to the front desk. “Excuse me, I don’t remember what room I’m in.” I said.</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
|
||||
<div class="md">
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
|
||||
“No problem,” said the receptionist. “You’re in the lobby.”
|
||||
</p>
|
||||
</div>
|
||||
<!-- SC_ON -->
|
||||
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/02K30C1"> /u/02K30C1 </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/nvjbbm/i_returned_to_my_hotel_after_an_evening_of/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/nvjbbm/i_returned_to_my_hotel_after_an_evening_of/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
|
||||
</ul>
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
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Reference in New Issue