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<title>16 September, 2023</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>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" data-aos-anchor-placement="top-bottom" id="contents">Contents</h1>
<ul>
<li><a href="#from-preprints">From Preprints</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-clinical-trials">From Clinical Trials</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-pubmed">From PubMed</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-patent-search">From Patent Search</a></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-preprints">From Preprints</h1>
<ul>
<li><strong>Refining COVID-19 retrospective diagnosis with continuous serological tests: a Bayesian mixture model</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
COVID-19 serological tests with a “positive”, “intermediate” or “negative” result according to predefined thresholds cannot be directly interpreted as a probability of having been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Based on 81,797 continuous anti-spike tests collected in France after the first wave, a Bayesian mixture model was developed to provide a tailored infection probability for each participant. Depending on the serological value and the context (age and administrative region), a negative or a positive test could correspond to a probability of infection as high as 61.9% or as low as 68.0%, respectively. In infected individuals, the model estimated a proportion of “non-responders” of 14.5% (95% CI, 11.2-18.1%), corresponding to a sub-group of persons who exhibited a weaker serological response to SARS-CoV-2. This model allows for an individual interpretation of serological results as a probability of infection, depending on the context and without any notion of threshold.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.15.23295603v1" target="_blank">Refining COVID-19 retrospective diagnosis with continuous serological tests: a Bayesian mixture model</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>MixOmics Integration of Biological Datasets Identifies Highly Correlated Key Variables of COVID-19 severity.</strong> -
<div>
Background: Despite several years since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, challenges remain in understanding the factors that can predict the severity of COVID-19 disease and complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection. While many large-scale Multiomic datasets have been published, integration of these datasets has the potential to substantially increase the biological insight gained allowing a more complex comprehension of the disease pathogenesis. Such insight may improve our ability to predict disease progression, detect severe cases more rapidly and develop effective therapeutics. Methods: In this study we have applied an innovative machine learning algorithm to delineate COVID-severity based on integration of paired samples of proteomic and transcriptomic data from a small cohort of patients testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection with differential disease severity. Targeted plasma proteomics and an onco-immune targeted transcriptomic panel was performed on sequential samples from a cohort of 23 severe, 21 moderate and 10 mild COVID-19 patients. We applied DIABLO, a new integrative method, to identify multi-omics biomarker panels that can discriminate between multiple phenotypic groups, such as the varied severity of disease in COVID-19 patients. Results: As COVID-19 severity is known among our sample group, we can train models using this as the outcome variable and calculate features that are important predictors of severe disease. In this study, we detect highly correlated key variables of severe COVID-19 using transcriptomic discriminant analysis and multi-omics integration methods. Conclusions: This approach highlights the power of data integration from a small cohort of patients offering a better biological understanding of the molecular mechanisms driving COVID-19 severity and an opportunity to improve prediction of disease trajectories and targeted therapeutics.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.14.557558v1" target="_blank">MixOmics Integration of Biological Datasets Identifies Highly Correlated Key Variables of COVID-19 severity.</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Cooperativity and induced oligomerisation control the interaction of SARS- CoV-2 with its cellular receptor and patient-derived antibodies</strong> -
<div>
Viral entry is mediated by oligomeric proteins on the virus and cell surfaces. The association is therefore open to multivalent interactions between these proteins, yet such recognition is typically rationalised as affinity between monomeric equivalents. As a result, assessment of the thermodynamic mechanisms that control viral entry has been limited. Here, we use mass photometry to overcome the analytical challenges consequent to multivalency. Examining the interaction between the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and the ACE2 receptor, we find that ACE2 induces oligomerisation of spike in a variant- dependent fashion. We also demonstrate that patient-derived antibodies use induced-oligomerisation as a primary inhibition mechanism or to enhance the effects of receptor-site blocking. Our results reveal that naive affinity measurements are poor predictors of potency, and introduce a novel antibody-based inhibition mechanism for oligomeric targets.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.14.557399v1" target="_blank">Cooperativity and induced oligomerisation control the interaction of SARS- CoV-2 with its cellular receptor and patient-derived antibodies</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>The SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein associates with anionic lipid membranes</strong> -
<div>
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a lipid-enveloped virus that acquires its lipid bilayer from the host cell it infects. SARS-CoV-2 can spread from cell to cell or from patient to patient by undergoing assembly and budding to form new virions. The assembly and budding of SARS-CoV-2 is mediated by several structural proteins known as envelope (E), membrane (M), nucleoprotein (N) and spike (S), which can form virus-like particles (VLPs) when co-expressed in mammalian cells. Assembly and budding of SARS-CoV-2 from the host ER-Golgi intermediate compartment is a critical step in the virus acquiring its lipid bilayer. To date, little information is available on how SARS-CoV-2 assembles and forms new viral particles from host membranes. In this study, we find the N protein can strongly associate with anionic lipids including phosphoinositides and phosphatidylserine. Moreover, lipid binding is shown to occur in the N protein C-terminal domain, which is supported by extensive in silico analysis. Anionic lipid binding occurs for both the free and N oligomeric forms suggesting N can associate with membranes in the nucleocapsid form. Herein we present a lipid-dependent model based on in vitro, cellular and in silico data for the recruitment of N to M assembly sites in the lifecycle of SARS-CoV-2.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.15.557899v1" target="_blank">The SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein associates with anionic lipid membranes</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Enhanced neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 XBB sub-lineages and BA.2.86 by a tetravalent COVID-19 vaccine booster</strong> -
<div>
As the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to evolve, novel XBB sub-lineages such as XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16, EG.5, HK.3 (FLip), and XBB.2.3, as well as the most recent BA.2.86, have been identified and aroused global concern. Understanding the efficacy of current vaccines and the immune system's response to these emerging variants is critical for global public health. In this study, we evaluated the neutralization activities of sera from participants who received COVID-19 inactivated vaccines, or a booster vaccination of the recently approved tetravalent protein vaccine in China (SCTV01E), or had contracted a breakthrough infection with BA.5/BF.7/XBB virus. Comparative analysis of their neutralization profiles against a broad panel of 30 SARS-CoV-2 sub-lineage viruses revealed that strains such as BQ.1.1, CH.1.1, and all the XBB sub-lineages exhibited heightened resistance to neutralization than previous variants, however, despite the extra mutations carried by emerging XBB sub-lineages and BA.2.86, they did not demonstrate significantly increased resistance to neutralization compared to XBB.1.5. Encouragingly, the SCTV01E booster vaccination consistently induced robust and considerably higher neutralizing titers against all these variants than breakthrough infection did. Cellular immunity assays also showed that the SCTV01E booster vaccination elicited a higher frequency of virus-specific memory B cells but not IFN-{gamma} secreting T cells. Our findings underline the importance of developing novel multivalent vaccines to more effectively combat future viral variants.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.14.557682v1" target="_blank">Enhanced neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 XBB sub-lineages and BA.2.86 by a tetravalent COVID-19 vaccine booster</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Some mechanistic underpinnings of molecular adaptations of SARS-COV-2 spike protein by integrating candidate adaptive polymorphisms with protein dynamics</strong> -
<div>
We integrate evolutionary predictions based on the neutral theory of molecular evolution with protein dynamics to generate mechanistic insight into the molecular adaptations of the SARS-COV-2 Spike (S) protein. With this approach, we first identified Candidate Adaptive Polymorphisms (CAPs) of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and assessed the impact of these CAPs through dynamics analysis. Not only have we found that CAPs frequently overlap with well-known functional sites, but also, using several different dynamics-based metrics, we reveal the critical allosteric interplay between SARS-CoV-2 CAPs and the S protein binding sites with the human ACE2 (hACE2) protein. CAPs interact far differently with the hACE2 binding site residues in the open conformation of S protein compared to the closed form. In particular, the CAP sites control the dynamics binding residues in the open state, suggesting an allosteric control of hACE2 binding. We also explored the characteristic mutations of different SARS-CoV-2 strains to find dynamic hallmarks and potential effects of future mutations. Our analyses reveal that Delta strain-specific variants have non-additive (i.e., epistatic) interactions with CAP sites, whereas the less pathogenic Omicron strains have mostly compensatory variants. Finally, our dynamics-based analysis suggests that the novel mutations observed in the Omicron strain epistatically interact with the CAP sites to help escape antibody binding.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.14.557827v1" target="_blank">Some mechanistic underpinnings of molecular adaptations of SARS-COV-2 spike protein by integrating candidate adaptive polymorphisms with protein dynamics</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Enhanced production of eicosanoids in plasma and activation of DNA damage pathways in PBMCs are correlated with the severity of ancestral COVID-19 infection</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Abstract: Background Many questions remain unanswered regarding the implication of lipid metabolites in severe SARS-CoV-2 infections. By re-analyzed sequencing data from the nasopharynx of a previously published cohort, we found that alox genes, involved in eicosanoid synthesis, were up-regulated in high WHO score patients, especially in goblet cells. Herein, we aimed to further understand the roles played by eicosanoids during severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods and findings We performed a total fatty acid panel on plasma and bulk RNA-seq analysis on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) collected from 10 infected and 10 uninfected patients. Univariate comparison of lipid metabolites revealed that lipid metabolites were increased in SARS-CoV-2 patients including the lipid mediators Arachidonic Acid (AA) and Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA). AA, EPA and the fatty acids Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), were positively correlated to WHO disease severity score. Transcriptomic analysis demonstrated that COVID-19 patients can be segregated based on WHO scores. Ontology, KEGG and Reactome analysis identified pathways enriched for genes related to innate immunity, interactions between lymphoid and nonlymphoid cells, interleukin signaling and, cell cycling pathways. Conclusions Our study offers an association between nasopharynx mucosa eicosanoid genes expression, specific serum inflammatory lipids and, subsequent DNA damage pathways activation in PBMCs to severity of COVID-19 infection.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.14.23295549v1" target="_blank">Enhanced production of eicosanoids in plasma and activation of DNA damage pathways in PBMCs are correlated with the severity of ancestral COVID-19 infection</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Diagnostic testing and the evolution of detection avoidance by pathogens</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Diagnostic testing is a key tool in the fight against many infectious diseases. The emergence of pathogen variants that are able to avoid detection by diagnostic testing therefore represents a key challenge for public health. In recent years, variants for multiple pathogens have emerged which escape diagnostic testing, including mutations in Plasmodium falciparum (malaria), Chlamydia trachomatis (chlamydia) and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). However, little is currently known about when and the extent to which diagnostic test escape will evolve. Here we use a mathematical model to explore how the frequency of diagnostic testing, combined with variation in compliance and efficacy of quarantining, together drive the evolution of detection avoidance. We derive key thresholds under which a testing regime will (i) select for diagnostic test avoidance, or (ii) drive the pathogen extinct. Crucially, we show that imperfect compliance with diagnostic testing regimes can have marked effects on selection for detection avoidance, and consequently, for disease control. Yet somewhat counterintuitively, we find that an intermediate level of testing can select for the highest level of detection avoidance. Our results, combined with evidence from various pathogens, demonstrate that the evolution of diagnostic testing avoidance should be carefully considered when designing diagnostic testing regimes.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.14.23295480v1" target="_blank">Diagnostic testing and the evolution of detection avoidance by pathogens</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Assessing the impact of the Gamma variant on COVID-19 Patient admissions in a Southern Brazilian tertiary hospital - A comparison of dual pandemic phases</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Since the first case of COVID-19, Brazil has undergone infection waves with distinct characteristics. The description of new variants has alerted the emergence of more contagious or virulent viruses. The variant of concern Gamma emerged in Brazil and caused an epidemic wave, but its spread outside the country was limited. We report the clinical epidemiological profile of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 by comparing two periods. A retrospective cohort study was performed. The primary outcome was to assess individuals with COVID-19 admitted in wards and intensive care units at CHC-UFPR between March 2020 and July 2021, correlating demographic, clinical-epidemiologic, and survival data with the most prevalent viral variant found in each period. We used Kaplan?Meier analysis to estimate the probability of survival and receiver operating characteristic curves to evaluate laboratory tests to find a cutoff point for poor outcomes. Data from 2,887 individuals were analyzed, 1,495 and 1,392 from the first and second periods, respectively. Hospitalization predominated among males in both periods, and the median age was significantly lower in the second one. The frequency of comorbidities was similar. Various demographic factors, clinical assessments, and laboratory tests were examined in relation to greater severity. When comparing the two studied periods, we observed predominance of the Wild virus during the first wave and the Gamma variant during the second, with no significant difference in outcomes. The findings suggest that despite the association of many factors with increased severity, the temporal variation between the two periods did not result in a notable divergence in the measured outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic has lasted for a long time, with periods marked by peaks of cases, often caused by the emergence of viral variants, resulting in higher infection rates and rapid dissemination but, for variant Gamma, no apparent greater virulence.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.13.23295114v1" target="_blank">Assessing the impact of the Gamma variant on COVID-19 Patient admissions in a Southern Brazilian tertiary hospital - A comparison of dual pandemic phases</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Associations with LGBTQ+ mental health disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic</strong> -
<div>
The COVID-19 pandemic has created tremendous, and unequal, burdens on mental and physical health throughout the United States. Prior work suggests that LGBTQ+ individuals have experienced disproportionate harms during the COVID-19 pandemic, but potential mechanisms underlying these disparities remain unclear. In a large (N=893) sample of US LGBTQ+ adults, we examined four theoretically derived risk factors as potential contributors to depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation during the summer of 2020. Stressors and disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic were common, with over 25% of participants experiencing changes in their living situation, 40% reporting interruptions in health care access, and high levels of stress due to social isolation, financial concerns, and increased mental health symptoms. We found that social disconnection, disruptions in health care, financial strain, and efforts to avoid disclosing one’s sexual orientation or gender identity at home were each associated with poorer mental health, with the largest effects evident for identity disclosure avoidance. Transgender and non-binary adults reported poorer mental health overall, but gender identity did not moderate the effects of other tested risk factors. Results highlight the importance of considering LGBTQ+ mental health in the context of minority stressors, in addition to more general social determinants of health.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://psyarxiv.com/3famu/" target="_blank">Associations with LGBTQ+ mental health disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Outbreak of severe community-acquired bacterial infections from Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae among children in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany), October to December 2022</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Background: In late 2022, a surge of severe bacterial infections caused by S. pyogenes was reported in several European countries, including Germany. This study assessed disease burden and severity of hospitalizations for community-acquired bacterial infections with S. pyogenes, S. pneumoniae, N. meningitidis, and H. influenzae among children in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany, during the last quarter of 2022 compared to long-term incidences. Methods: Hospital cases due to bacterial infections between October and December 2022 were collected from 59/62 (95 %) children9s hospitals in NRW and combined with surveillance data (2016 - 2023) from the national reference laboratories for streptococci, N. meningitidis, and H. influenzae. Total cases in NRW and incidence rates from January 2016 to March 2023 were estimated by capture-recapture analyses. Expected annual deaths from the studied pathogens were calculated from national death cause statistics. Results: Between October and December 2022, 153 cases with high overall disease severity were reported with pneumonia being most common (59 %, n = 91). Incidence rates of bacterial infections declined at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In late 2022 and early 2023 a massive surge to levels unprecedented since 2016 was observed, mainly driven by S. pyogenes and S. pneumoniae. Observed deaths during the study period exceeded the expected number for the entire year in NRW by far (7 vs. 0.9). Discussion: The unprecedented peak of bacterial infections in late 2022 and early 2023 was caused by various mechanisms intertwined that require close surveillance and improved precautionary measures for future outbreaks.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.14.23295531v1" target="_blank">Outbreak of severe community-acquired bacterial infections from Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae among children in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany), October to December 2022</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Regulation of interferon signaling by transposon exonization</strong> -
<div>
Innate immune signaling is essential for clearing pathogens and damaged cells, and must be tightly regulated to avoid excessive inflammation or autoimmunity. Here, we found that the alternative splicing of exons derived from transposable elements is a key mechanism controlling immune signaling in human cells. By analyzing long-read transcriptome datasets, we identified numerous transposon exonization events predicted to generate functional protein variants of immune genes, including the type I interferon receptor IFNAR2. We demonstrated that the transposon-derived isoform of IFNAR2 is more highly expressed than the canonical isoform in almost all tissues, and functions as a decoy receptor that potently inhibits interferon signaling including in cells infected with SARS-CoV-2. Our findings uncover a primate-specific axis controlling interferon signaling and show how a transposon exonization event can be co-opted for immune regulation.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.11.557241v1" target="_blank">Regulation of interferon signaling by transposon exonization</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Worldwide case of COVID-19 cabin fever as a motivator for conservation and sustainable action</strong> -
<div>
Exposure to nature is increasingly regarded as a key part of human health, and the recognition that urban environments must provide access to green spaces for the wellbeing of citizens. The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 led to many governments issuing stay-at-home orders and closing parks, limiting the options of accessible green spaces for people seeking to safely socialise and cope with stress. Here, we gain a global perspective on the speed people returned to nature (visiting parks and beaches) in comparison to necessities (accessing groceries and pharmaceuticals) and luxury activities (retail purchases and recreation) following COVID-19 lockdowns using Google Mobility data. Globally, we found that people returned to nature 30 days after returning to shop for essentials and 105 days to return to luxuries. Central Asia, Europe, and North America returned to nature before necessities. The rapidity with which people chose to spend time in nature indicates the value of these spaces to people and the need to increase access to them. However, the large-scale return to nature also highlighted the need to promote messages on how to minimise our impacts in these spaces. One strong way to motivate conservation and sustainability action is to ensure that people have access to nature and green spaces, which can foster pro-environmental behaviour.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/2ghu3/" target="_blank">Worldwide case of COVID-19 cabin fever as a motivator for conservation and sustainable action</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptability Among Refugees and Other Migrant Populations: A Systematic Scoping Review</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Objective. This study aimed to map the existing literature to identify predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptability among refugees, immigrants, and other migrant populations. Methods. A systematic search of Medline, Embase, APA PsycInfo and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) was conducted up to 31 January 2023 to identify the relevant English peer-reviewed observational studies. Two independent reviewers screened, selected studies, and extracted data. Results. We identified 34 cross-sectional studies, primarily conducted in high income countries (76%). Lower vaccine acceptance was associated with mistrust in the host countries9 government and healthcare system, concerns about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, limited knowledge of COVID-19 infection and vaccines, lower COVID-19 risk perception, and lower integration level in the host country. Female gender, younger age, lower education level, and being single were associated with lower vaccine acceptance in most studies. Additionally, sources of information about COVID-19 and vaccines and previous history of COVID-19 infection, also influence vaccine acceptance. Vaccine acceptability towards COVID-19 booster doses and various vaccine brands were not adequately studied. Conclusions. Vaccine hesitancy and lack of trust in COVID-19 vaccines became significant public health concerns within migrant populations. These findings may help in providing information for current and future vaccine outreach strategies among migrant populations.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.15.23295608v1" target="_blank">Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptability Among Refugees and Other Migrant Populations: A Systematic Scoping Review</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Clinical Performance of SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Tests: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Objectives: We conducted a meta-analysis of RAT diagnostic accuracy for SARS-CoV-2 infections, and further evaluated test sensitivity versus the presence of symptoms, days post symptom onset (DPSO), sample viral load, and sample type (i.e. direct swabs versus specimens stored in transport media). Methods: Three databases were searched systematically for performance evaluations of the Roche-distributed SDB SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test (Roche/SDB RAT) through March 2022. If the Roche/SDB RAT was compared with any of 9 commonly available antigen tests, data from these tests were also included. Results: Overall sensitivity of RATs among different manufacturers and study cohorts varied between 36.0% (95% CI: 24.0-50.1) and 79.4% (95% CI: 64.8-89.0). Roche/SDB RATs demonstrated a competitive performance with a pooled (including off-label use) sensitivity of 70.0%, and nearly 100% specificity in included studies. The Roche/SDB RATs exhibited reliable sensitivity in patients with a relatively high viral load (96.6% [95% CI: 95.2-98.2] for Ct≤25). Roche/SDB RATs were more sensitive in symptomatic patients within the first 7 DPSO (85.5% [95% CI: 81.2-88.4]), and when used to test direct swabs (74.4% [95% CI: 69.7-80.3]). Conclusion: RATs show reliable performance in clinical settings and should be considered when rapid diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection is critical.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.09.15.23295560v1" target="_blank">Clinical Performance of SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Tests: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis</a>
</div></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-clinical-trials">From Clinical Trials</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 Study to Assess the Safety, Tolerability and Preliminary Efficacy of HH-120 for the Treatment of COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   COVID-19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: HH-120;   Drug: placebo<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Huahui Health<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>A Study to Investigate the Prevention of COVID-19 withVYD222 in Adults With Immune Compromise and in Participants Aged 12 Years or Older Who Are at Risk of Exposure to SARS-CoV-2</strong> - <b>Conditions</b>:   COVID-19;   SARS-CoV-2<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: VYD222;   Drug: Normal saline<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Invivyd, Inc.<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>Additional Recombinant COVID-19 Humoral and Cell-Mediated Immunogenicity in Immunosuppressed Populations</strong> - <b>Conditions</b>:   Immunosuppression;   COVID-19<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Biological: NVX-CoV2372<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   University of Wisconsin, Madison;   Novavax<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>Reducing COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Hispanic Parents</strong> - <b>Conditions</b>:   Vaccine-Preventable Diseases;   COVID-19 Pandemic;   Health-Related Behavior;   Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice;   Narration<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Behavioral: Baseline surveys;   Behavioral: Digital Storytelling Intervention;   Behavioral: Information Control Intervention<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   Arizona State University;   Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)<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 Safety and Immunogenicity of a SARS-CoV-2(Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) Booster Vaccine (LEM-mR203)</strong> - <b>Conditions</b>:   COVID-19 Infection;   COVID-19 Vaccine Adverse Reaction<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Biological: LEM-mR203;   Biological: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Lemonex<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>Phase I Safety Study of B/HPIV3/S-6P Vaccine Via Nasal Spray in Adults</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   SARS-CoV-2 Infection<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Biological: B/HPIV3/S-6P<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID);   Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health;   National Institutes of Health (NIH)<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 Study to Determine the Tolerability of Intranasal LMN-301</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   COVID-19<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Biological: LMN-301<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Lumen Bioscience, 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>Safety of Simultaneous mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine With Other Childhood Vaccines in Young Children</strong> - <b>Conditions</b>:   Fever After Vaccination;   Fever;   Seizures Fever<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Biological: Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine;   Biological: Routine Childhood Vaccinations<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   Duke University;   Kaiser Permanente;   Columbia University;   Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati;   Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<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>The Effect of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Nursing Students</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Other: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Group<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Necmettin Erbakan University<br/><b>Active, not 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>Long COVID Immune Profiling</strong> - <b>Conditions</b>:   Long COVID;   POTS - Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome;   Autonomic Dysfunction<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Diagnostic Test: IL-6;   Diagnostic Test: cytokines (IL-17, and IFN-ɣ);   Behavioral: Compass 31<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   Vanderbilt University Medical Center;   American Heart Association<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>Remdesivir increases mtDNA copy number causing mild alterations to oxidative phosphorylation</strong> - SARS-CoV-2 causes the severe respiratory disease COVID-19. Remdesivir (RDV) was the first fast-tracked FDA approved treatment drug for COVID-19. RDV acts as an antiviral ribonucleoside (adenosine) analogue that becomes active once it accumulates intracellularly. It then diffuses into the host cell and terminates viral RNA transcription. Previous studies have shown that certain nucleoside analogues unintentionally inhibit mitochondrial RNA or DNA polymerases or cause mutational changes to…</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>Outcomes of a social media campaign to promote COVID-19 vaccination in Nigeria</strong> - The COVID-19 pandemic has been an historic challenge to public health and behavior change programs. In low -and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as Nigeria, there have been challenges in promoting vaccination. Vaccine hesitancy and social norms related to vaccination may be important factors in promoting or inhibiting not only COVID vaccination, but other routine vaccinations as well. The aim of this study was to conduct a national-level quasi-experimental evaluation of a social media based…</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>Phytoconstituents as potential therapeutic agents against COVID-19: a computational study on inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 main protease</strong> - The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) has become a global health crisis, and the urgent need for effective treatments is evident. One potential target for COVID-19 therapeutics is the main protease (Mpro) of SARS‑CoV‑2, an essential enzyme for viral replication. Natural compounds have been explored as a source of potential inhibitors for Mpro due to their safety and availability. In this study, we employed 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>Extracellular Vesicles and Endocannabinoid Signaling in Patients with COVID-19</strong> - Introduction: Endocannabinoids in COVID-19 have immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties but the functional role and the regulation of endocannabinoid signaling in this pandemic disorder is controversial. To exercise their biologic function, endocannabinoids need to travel across the intercellular space and within the blood stream to reach their target cells. How the lipophilic endocannabinoids are transported in the vascular system and how these hydrophobic compounds cross cell…</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>Current understanding of nucleoside analogs inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase</strong> - Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) has become a main target for antiviral therapeutics due to its essential role in viral replication and transcription. Thus, nucleoside analogs structurally resemble the natural RdRp substrate and hold great potential as inhibitors. Until now, extensive experimental investigations have been performed to explore nucleoside analogs to inhibit the RdRp, 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>Ebselen: A Review on its Synthesis, Derivatives, Anticancer Efficacy and Utility in Combating SARS-COV-2</strong> - Ebselen is a selenoorganic chiral compound with antioxidant properties comparable to glutathione peroxidase. It is also known as 2-phenyl-1,2-benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-one. In studies examining its numerous pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anticancer, antiviral, and anti-Alzheimer’s, ebselen has demonstrated promising results. This review’s primary objective was to emphasize the numerous synthesis pathways of ebselen and their efficacy in fighting cancer. The data were collected…</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>Molnupiravir: an antiviral drug against COVID-19</strong> - SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, has caused numerous deaths worldwide and poses significant challenges. Researchers have recently studied a new antiviral drug called molnupiravir for treating COVID-19. This review examines the causes and immunopathogenesis of COVID-19, as well as the role of molnupiravir in its treatment. Molnupiravir is a prodrug of β-D-N4-hydroxyctytidine (NHC) and has demonstrated activity against various viruses, including MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, 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>Overreactive macrophages in SARS-CoV-2 infection: The effects of ACEI</strong> - Among various factors influencing the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans, macrophage overactivation is considered the main cause of the cytokine storm that leads to severe complications of COVID-19. Moreover, the increased expression of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), an obligatory entry receptor of the coronavirus, caused by treatment with ACE inhibitors (ACEI) lowered overall confidence in the safety of these drugs. However, analysis of the course of coronavirus infection in…</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>Omics data analysis reveals common molecular basis of small cell lung cancer and COVID-19</strong> - The impact of COVID-19 infection on individuals with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) poses a serious threat. Unfortunately, the molecular basis of this severe comorbidity has yet to be elucidated. The present study addresses this gap utilizing publicly available omics data of COVID-19 and SCLC to explore the key molecules and associated pathways involved in the convergence of these diseases. Findings revealed 402 genes, that exhibited differential expression patterns in SCLC patients and also play…</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>Whole genome CRISPR screening strategy to identify genes contributing to SARS-CoV-2 spike and VSV-G mediated entry</strong> - Understanding the cellular host factors that promote and inhibit viral entry is important for identifying viral countermeasures. CRISPR whole-genome screens can be used to rapidly discover host factors that contribute to or impair viral entry. However, when using live viruses and cellular lethality for selection, these screens can identify an overwhelming number of genes without specificity for the stage of the viral infection cycle. New screening methods are needed to identify host machinery…</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>On a path toward a broad-spectrum anti-viral: inhibition of HIV-1 and coronavirus replication by SR kinase inhibitor harmine</strong> - RNA processing plays a key role in gene expression, allowing for increased protein diversity and functional complexity. Consequently, modulating RNA processing can impact gene function. Given HIV-1’s reliance on host RNA processing machinery for viral protein production/replication, modulators of this process could serve as novel anti-virals to complement and/or enhance existing therapies. In this study, screening of several serine-arginine-rich (SR) kinase inhibitors for their impact on HIV-1…</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>Association between levels of IgG antibodies from vaccines and Omicron symptomatic infection among children and adolescents in China</strong> - CONCLUSION: The risk of developing a symptomatic infection can be predicted independently by tertiles of IgG antibodies to wild-type SARS-CoV-2 antigens. High IgG levels can inhibit viral replication, vastly reduce the risk of symptomatic infections and promote a virus-negative conversion, especially when IgG quantitative detection was ≥3.44 S/CO, a potential threshold for protection and booster strategy in the future. More data and research are needed in the future to validate the predictive…</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 essential genes associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection as potential drug target candidates with machine learning algorithms</strong> - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) requires the fast discovery of effective treatments to fight this worldwide concern. Several genes associated with the SARS-CoV-2, which are essential for its functionality, pathogenesis, and survival, have been identified. These genes, which play crucial roles in SARS-CoV-2 infection, are considered potential therapeutic targets. Developing drugs against these essential genes to inhibit their regular functions could be a good approach…</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 motif-based interactions between SARS-CoV-2 protein domains and human peptide ligands pinpoint antiviral targets</strong> - The virus life cycle depends on host-virus protein-protein interactions, which often involve a disordered protein region binding to a folded protein domain. Here, we used proteomic peptide phage display (ProP-PD) to identify peptides from the intrinsically disordered regions of the human proteome that bind to folded protein domains encoded by the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Eleven folded domains of SARS-CoV-2 proteins were found to bind 281 peptides from human proteins, and affinities of 31 interactions…</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>Broadly neutralizing antibodies derived from the earliest COVID-19 convalescents protect mice from SARS-CoV-2 variants challenge</strong> - Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first reported three years ago, when a group of individuals were infected with the original SARS-CoV-2 strain, based on which vaccines were developed. Here, we develop six human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from two elite convalescents in Wuhan and show that these mAbs recognize diverse epitopes on the receptor binding domain (RBD) and can inhibit the infection of SARS-CoV-2 original strain and variants of concern (VOCs) to varying degrees, including…</p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-patent-search">From Patent Search</h1>
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<h1 data-aos="fade-down" id="daily-dose">Daily-Dose</h1>
<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>Hasan Minhaj’s “Emotional Truths”</strong> - In his standup specials, the former “Patriot Act” host often recounts harrowing experiences he’s faced as an Asian American and Muslim American. Does it matter that much of it never happened to him? - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-communications/hasan-minhajs-emotional-truths">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The Rage of the Toddler Caucus on Capitol Hill</strong> - Not even a Biden impeachment can soothe them out of a government shutdown. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-bidens-washington/the-rage-of-the-toddler-caucus-on-capitol-hill">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A.I. and the Next Generation of Drone Warfare</strong> - The Pentagon’s Replicator initiative envisions swarms of low-cost autonomous machines that could remake the American arsenal. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/ai-and-the-next-generation-of-drone-warfare">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The Futility of the Never Trump Billionaires</strong> - Benjamin Wallace-Wells writes about the difficulties facing Republican Party factions that hope to put forth a nominee who can stand as a strong alternative to Donald Trump. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-futility-of-the-never-trump-billionaires">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Lessons in Conquering Child Poverty</strong> - In the past few years, we’ve found out how to greatly reduce economic deprivation among the young, and how to greatly increase it. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/lessons-in-conquering-child-poverty">link</a></p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-vox">From Vox</h1>
<ul>
<li><strong>Take the visitor’s approach to exploring your own city</strong> -
<figure>
<img alt="An illustration of two young people — a man in a backward baseball cap and a camera and a woman with binoculars — peering out of the window of a house. The people are cartoonish and large. The house sits among other suburban homes with trees and fences." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mPKGxoNqNIpzo3w8BL1pvzndUdA=/240x0:1680x1080/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72520943/Tourist_MinHeo.0.png"/>
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Min Heo for Vox
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
You don’t need to be a tourist to appreciate where you live.
</p>
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Despite having lived in Paris for nearly 15 years, <a href="https://www.messynessychic.com/">Vanessa Grall</a> gets a thrill when she encounters a new street. The city, Grall says, is like an “open-air museum,” full of unique buildings and historical markers that send her down Google rabbit holes, leading her from one location to the next. The author of the travel books <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Books-Vanessa-Grall/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AVanessa+Grall"><em>Don’t Be a Tourist in Paris</em> and <em>Don’t Be a Tourist in New York</em></a>, Grall is practiced in the art of discovering the undiscovered in popular destinations, including her own city. For Grall, the key is remaining curious about her surroundings, even as the sheen of a new location fades. “It’s a combination of keeping yourself motivated,” she says, “and keeping yourself curious.”
</p>
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<a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/23798890/american-tourists-travel-trends-vacation-optimization">Tourists often get a bad rap</a>, but, in a broad sense, they have the right idea when it comes to venturing into new places. Given the limited nature of vacations, tourists often are urgent in their exploration. Armed with lists and tagged locations on Google Maps, travelers usually have some semblance of a plan. When it comes to our own cities and towns, we have our preferences and go-tos; we’re always on the go without <a href="https://www.vox.com/even-better/23172589/spontaneous-benefits-schedule">room for spontaneity</a>. Moving through our hometowns with a renewed sense of wonder and curiosity can be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8555992/">just as restorative as traveling to another destination</a> — that is, if we’re able to detach for a moment from our routines.
</p>
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With a shift in perspective, you can take a visitor’s approach to the place you live, embracing both new-to-you locales and, yes, even tourist destinations.
</p>
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Think of your weekends as mini vacations
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Recontextualizing limited free time can help you maximize your days off. A <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e270ffe949f6c4d0d0fcc55/t/5ee798d8b5e129712d9e5537/1592236249698/2020+West+Mogilner+DeVoe+SPPS-Vacations.pdf">2020 study</a> found that when people treated their weekends like a vacation — prioritizing things like enjoying good food and staying present in the moment instead of spending the entire weekend doing housework — they were happier.
</p>
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This shift in mindset requires intentionality: purposefully seeking out unique and novel experiences means straying from routine. “So much of appreciating the city you’re in,” says freelance writer <a href="https://christinespeerlejeune.com/">Christine Speer Lejeune</a>, “is literally remembering to open your eyes to it.” In her quest to <a href="https://www.phillymag.com/news/2022/06/25/tourist-hometown/">explore like a tourist in Philadelphia</a>, where she lives, Lejeune reminds herself to look around at the architecture and historical locations she passes on her commute. “You’re walking past the building where Thomas Jefferson wrote the draft of the Declaration of Independence, and you grow very numb to it because you see it every day,” she says. “Looking at these places that you see every day can spark that reminder to appreciate what’s before us.”
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Re-create travel experiences in your hometown
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An easy way to take a vacationer’s approach to the area where you live is to think about what you like to do while traveling and to seek out those experiences at home, says <a href="https://www.frannythetraveler.com/">Princess Francois Estevez</a>, an executive director of a nonprofit and travel blogger. If your past trips have included wine tastings, dinner reservations at top-tier restaurants, or excursions to national parks, see if any of these adventures are replicable nearby. Are there local wineries or tasting rooms you’ve never been to? What restaurants are on your bucket list? Is there a <a href="https://www.vox.com/even-better/23641271/beginners-guide-bird-watching-birding">species of bird</a> only found in a wilderness area near you?
</p>
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To help you home in on the type of adventure to prioritize, Grall suggests mining your psyche to curate an experience based on your mood. Feeling like a character in a movie? Try a DIY tour of locations in your city that have been featured in TV and film. (Websites like <a href="https://movie-locations.com/places/usa.php">Movie-Locations.com</a> and <a href="https://findthatlocation.com/">FindThatLocation.com</a> list popular locations by state and city.) Mending a broken heart? Maybe seek out a comedy show or an extremely decadent restaurant.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="TY50Vm">
Just like for other travel experiences, make a budget for your tourist excursions. If a blowout meal isn’t in the cards, opt for a park picnic with snacks that are unique to your city. Or you could create a staycation fund to cover future minor extravagances. In the <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e270ffe949f6c4d0d0fcc55/t/5ee798d8b5e129712d9e5537/1592236249698/2020+West+Mogilner+DeVoe+SPPS-Vacations.pdf">2020 study</a> on treating weekends like vacations, people did not spend more money on their staycation days. Being a tourist in your own town is more about the mindset rather than what you choose to do.
</p>
<h3 id="RcORQr">
Make a plan — but stay open to impromptu fun
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="mQfkf8">
Rather than roaming aimlessly, experts suggest having a loose itinerary with at least one location or activity you’d like to pursue, then leaving the rest up to chance. Start with identifying a neighborhood you’d like to explore — rather than the town as a whole — that you’re relatively unfamiliar with. Do a quick Google search for the area based on the type of activity or mood you’re looking to achieve — a day of shopping, a children’s museum — to create a short list of potential sites. Then see where the wind takes you. Maybe there’s a public garden on the other side of the city you’ve always wanted to check out; prioritize a visit there, then stroll around the surrounding neighborhood, popping into boutiques or cafes that interest you. “The perfect balance is a mix of one thing locked in with a little bit of cushion around it to explore,” Lejeune says.
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Culturally rife areas for exploring include historic districts, says <a href="https://www.instagram.com/carothetourguide/">Carolina Florez</a>, a freelancer and professional tour guide in Miami. That’s where you’ll find many museums and historical markers.
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If you can, try to walk, since you’ll be better able to observe and discover businesses in your travels, Francois Estevez says. “I sometimes pick an avenue and just walk down 20 blocks,” she says.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="XexpdZ">
If you live in a less walkable area, try biking to a new neighborhood (see if your town has a bike share program if you don’t have a set of wheels), or take public transportation or drive to your preferred part of town. Again, choosing a specific destination for your explorations gives you a purpose for traveling to the neighborhood and a starting point.
</p>
<h3 id="POnrPY">
Don’t discount tried-and-true tourist activities
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="S0Aaru">
Some locals may be averse to the typical tourist destinations in their areas, but, according to Florez, “there’s a reason that they are so popular and that they’re so busy and that tourists want to go there.” Florez hosts monthly locals-only tours specifically for Miami residents. Although the locations she highlights are the same as tours geared toward visitors, guests are often surprised by how much they didn’t know about the city where they live.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="esSig8">
Your local <a href="https://www.vox.com/travel">tourism</a> board will have online guides to popular tourist destinations, like major museums, historic sites, and landmarks. Local organizations, such as the <a href="https://miamicad.org/walking-tour/">Miami Center for Architecture &amp; Design</a> and the <a href="https://www.laconservancy.org/tours">Los Angeles Conservancy</a>, host low-cost or free walking tours. Florez also recommends hopping on a tour so you can learn the history behind the locations, too. You could even book a local tour guide for a small-group tour that can be personalized to your interests.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="FDuq1a">
Florez suggests following your favorite museums or cultural institutions on social media or subscribing to their newsletters so you can stay up to date on events they’re hosting that might allow you to see one of your go-to locations in a new light.
</p>
<h3 id="4hXz9H">
Put in a little leg work to discover unique experiences
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="QqeTUv">
Even the most experienced locals can find off-the-beaten-path adventures. Grall likes to scour bookstores for vintage guidebooks to see what locations still exist or what replaced certain businesses. “Go on a treasure hunt to find what’s still open,” she says. She also finds cemeteries exciting and untraditional tourist locations. Between the architecture and the names on the headstones, cemeteries can inspire curiosity. “If you take a name on a gravestone, it could really take you down the rabbit hole and you can play detective,” Grall says.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="BEcCEa">
While geared toward travelers, Francois Estevez suggests <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/s/experiences">Airbnb Experiences</a>, which can include boat tours and even photo shoots. “Booking a fun professional photo shoot is a cute way to explore from a unique angle and also walk out with amazing photos that you can have of your hometown,” she says.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="MGQod7">
Don’t forget to strike up a conversation with other locals — a barista, a museum employee, the person next to you on the bus. When traveling, it’s common to seek out recommendations from locals. At home, however, we’re less inclined. Whether for reasons having to do with routine, time, or lack of curiosity about where we live, it’s worth <a href="https://www.vox.com/22992901/how-to-find-your-community-as-an-adult">engaging with the people who populate</a> our cities. You never know what you might learn.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="55Wslx">
“Always stay curious,” Florez says. “You don’t know it all.”
</p></li>
<li><strong>How Covid misinformation stayed one step ahead of Facebook</strong> -
<figure>
<img alt="Facebook’s App store listing is displayed on a phone. The blue Facebook logo is projected on a screen in the background." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Yp6R7JhE4ONwNW5EmSh9vtB6WGc=/394x0:3543x2362/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72654351/1596861627.0.jpg"/>
<figcaption>
A new study tracked how anti-vaccine pages and groups responded to Meta’s efforts to take more aggressive moderation action against Covid-19 misinformation. | Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Study: When Facebook removes vaccine misinformation, anti-vaxxers quickly regroup.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="H2rqIN">
The work of trying to minimize the influence of harmful misinformation is both exhausting and essential. Big pushes, like the one Meta undertook in late 2020 to begin <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/3/22150425/facebook-covid-19-vaccine-coronavirus-misinformation-ban">removing more misinformation</a> about Covid-19 vaccines while promoting content from authoritative public health and scientific sources, always seem too late and undertaken in response to public or institutional pressure. And they require a sustained effort that platforms don’t always seem willing to maintain. A question has always lingered in the background of these big public moments where major platforms get tough on online harms: Did these efforts actually work?
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="WqvKks">
A new study, published this week in <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adh2132?utm_source=miragenews&amp;utm_medium=miragenews&amp;utm_campaign=news"><em>Science Advances</em>,</a> argues that Meta’s Covid-19 policies may not have been effective. Though Meta’s <a href="https://www.cnet.com/news/social-media/facebook-removed-more-than-20-million-posts-for-covid-19-misinformation/">decision to remove more content</a> did result in the overall volume of anti-vaccine content on Facebook decreasing, the study found that engagement may have “shifted, rather than decreased” outright.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="aHBSWB">
Using data from CrowdTangle, researchers tracked content from a number of public pages and groups that posted content focused on vaccines, sorted into “pro” and “anti” vaccine sources. Their data, they said, indicates that anti-vaccine influencers know how to dodge enforcement at every level of Facebook’s infrastructure, allowing followers to continue to access their content by taking advantage of Facebook’s built-in amplification of content users might want to engage with and of the vast, inter-platform networks of communities, influencers, and tactics that the anti-vaccine movement has built online over time.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="jyv3F5">
Health misinformation on social media needs to keep moving to stay alive, dodging platform enforcement by changing keywords and <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/anti-vaccine-groups-changing-dance-parties-facebook-avoid-detection-rcna1480">adapting euphemisms</a>, or funneling the believers and the curious into newer groups or platforms where their posts are less likely to be removed. Anti-vaccine influencers are skilled at this because they’ve had a lot of practice. By the time Meta began rolling out more robust policies in 2021 <a href="https://www.vox.com/recode/22319681/vaccine-misinformation-facebook-instagram-spreading">that were designed</a> to minimize the influence of misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines, anti-vaccine communities had been building their strategies to remain visible there for years.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="2agdyG">
Anti-vaccine content had the agility to outpace policy shifts on multiple levels, the paper argues. Public anti-vaccine pages can build connections with each other, and are sometimes run by the same influencers. When one disappears, other connected groups can simply step in and continue to post. That structure can also help members of banned groups find the next, newer version of that space, or link outward to platforms that are more accepting of conspiracy theory-laden content. And finally, individual members of these communities have an awareness of the importance of engagement. Anti-vaccine influencers ask for likes and shares in order to maximize their visibility on Facebook, and the believers seem to respond accordingly.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="wya7yw">
“There’s a broader ecosystem and there’s demand for this content,” said David Broniatowski, one of the study’s authors and an associate professor of engineering at George Washington University. “You can remove specific articles or posts or instances of the content. But the fact that you didn’t see a change in the engagement for the content that remained [on Facebook] goes to show the fact that people are out there and they want this stuff.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="nrVpph">
When people do start to seek out anti-vaccine content in the wake of a moderation takedown, the study argues, they might also find themselves being pulled into more extreme spaces. As Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook began taking down more anti-vaccine content, researchers saw an increase in links to alternative social media platforms like BitChute, Rumble, and Gab, which are popular with far-right and white supremacist users who might face account bands on mainstream social media sites.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="67Trk2">
Some of the research here echoes key points that trackers of anti-vaccine and conspiracy theory spaces have raised in the past: Networked misinformation, including misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/jun/25/qanon-facebook-conspiracy-theories-algorithm">doesn’t exist in isolation</a>. It’s interconnected with and fed by different conspiracy theories, omni-conspiracy theories like QAnon, and political movements. Addressing it will take more than takedowns and account bans. Speaking about QAnon a couple of years ago, <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/07/26/1005609/qanon-facebook-twitter-youtuube/">Renee DiResta</a>, research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory and an expert in online disinformation, told me that meaningfully addressing the webs of conspiracy-laden misinformation across social media would require “rethinking the entire information ecosystem.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="ZPSpFP">
Although Broniatowski said he did not advocate for any specific policy recommendations to more effectively combat misinformation, he suggested that one possible avenue of addressing Meta’s infrastructure would be to treat Facebook’s architecture more like a building, governed by science and safety-informed codes, as opposed to an open mic night with a code of conduct for performers. “We think about [misinformation] as the content, but we don’t necessarily think about it as the infrastructure or the system as a whole,” he said.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="weMirP">
“I do think that you can get together people from the platforms, people from these civil society organizations, people from the various different government entities that are involved in some way with these sorts of harms, with observing these sorts of harms, and have a consensus-building civil discussion regarding what is it that we’re gonna do in order to make this a safe and enjoyable experience,” Broniatowski said.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="npUjW4">
The researchers noted that their data provides a limited snapshot of this ecosystem, capturing only public spaces on Facebook that have strong affiliations with a set of vaccine-related keywords. Excluded are the many private and hidden groups that form a core gathering space on Facebook for anti-vaccine and alternative medicine followers, along with public-facing pages that have adapted coded language for discussing these topics in order to avoid being flagged by Meta’s moderating systems. And while the study does track links out to other platforms, it does not capture what users are finding once they end up outside of Facebook.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="g1E510">
The study covered the 16 months from November 2020 through February 2022, and the fight against misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines has continued to evolve since then. Facebook remains an important gathering space for the believers and promoters of health misinformation, but other platforms <a href="https://www.vox.com/technology/2023/7/29/23811639/tiktok-borax-challenge-dangerous-laundry-detergent">like TikTok</a> have become more popular for reaching new audiences. <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/17/23764429/meta-covid-misinformation-rules-facebook-instagram">Facebook discarded some of its rules prohibiting</a> Covid-19 misinformation in June in some regions, including the US. And Meta may be trying a new approach on its latest platform: Earlier this week, the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/09/11/threads-covid-coronavirus-searches-blocked/">Washington Post reported</a> that Meta-owned Threads was intentionally blocking some pandemic-related search terms entirely on the microblogging platform, including “covid-19,” “long covid,” “vaccines,” and “vaccination.”
</p></li>
<li><strong>Apple has an AirPod repair problem</strong> -
<figure>
<img alt="A hand holds an Apple AirPod and attempts to repair it." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KlvabOgV18uBvXFMHq2PLvb5VP4=/0x0:1440x1080/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72654285/Airpod_Vox2.0.jpg"/>
<figcaption>
Paige Vickers / Vox
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
California’s new Right to Repair Act can’t magically make Apple’s popular earbuds good for the environment.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="d5XmeD">
On September 12, California’s State Assembly approved the <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/13/23871712/california-right-to-repair-act-sb-244">Right to Repair Act</a>. Once it’s signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, makers of consumer electronics will be required to provide independent shops in the state with tools, spare parts, and manuals needed to fix the gadgets that they sell.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="pvAZAD">
Advocates of Right to Repair, which included dozens of <a href="https://pirg.org/california/updates/82-repair-shops-sign-letter-in-support-of-right-to-repair/">repair stores</a> across the state, <a href="https://publicinterestnetwork-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/2VnyoXvnPNa9iYyJPJA_-cAhgBAOl1kIyYbCNN0gkeZM24PiLigHa8Qi18X3VfZOxnjO71tKnzBKvwIv-pycFBM1kBNWuhpIqxlsMXgLrUpf62tN1hUWz-DgRYUZ_r5uG5CVmo1zcf575NtKUjfHgnbmUKF_5xM0SpVog5Bs5FNhL_ym2-npQHfSkx2sKIth-_8F3E0jUakZiY9owC4bBIafp8MPQRS7WEmItq7hGQYWlM5kGZtzZpjD4CmDCA51oSS3aSJdxtC55USUcIk7JJAmC1w">local officials</a>, and <a href="https://publicinterestnetwork-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/2fimweUjaX76AM_o1QqF0iJYaxxK5TvuQ44DJfQia5TU74PiLigEGspjh0APPQQxxpNzRvy_NfEM3rKcjvxUwSZEcnrQ0jmb_FVp1YleC--FPUu77-DSX-CcJsphrNXvkbo2SiE46aYaw6GWCtIswaAlb-PEabHNB4mfSzC3hiy7CGEMuxjC3akcQp03cXHb8W3QhR8ZqdUx2fwklwkib5NiR-NcVTgZgNm4SmeLYIC8r-K4jEHXWH9jMMvnLFQSZvnDU9D9kY30ou_ctZw">environmental groups</a>, hailed the move as a victory, the culmination of a years-long battle to force tech companies to allow regular people to easily repair their own devices. Even <a href="https://www.vox.com/apple">Apple</a>, which had <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/1/18525542/apple-right-to-repair-bill-california-lobbyist-comptia">opposed</a> the legislation for years, had a change of heart and <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/8/23/23843506/apple-california-right-to-repair-sb-244">officially supported</a> Right to Repair in California at the end of August. The world’s <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/30/apples-market-cap-hits-3-trillion-once-again/">richest</a> maker of consumer electronics would finally be forced to make repair materials available for every shiny phone, tablet, laptop, and smartwatch it sells.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="DoQvAc">
But some activists had a question: <em>What does this mean for AirPods</em>?
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="y3HESE">
“If products have <a href="https://www.vox.com/batteries">batteries</a>, they should be easy to swap or easy to remove so that consumers and recyclers can separate them,” said Kyle Wiens, the CEO of product repair blog and parts retailer iFixit. “You just don’t see that with AirPod design.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="GTLRde">
For years, Apple has made its commitment to the environment part of its powerful marketing machine. It has <a href="https://www.apple.com/environment/pdf/Liam_white_paper_Sept2016.pdf">shown off</a> <a href="https://www.vox.com/robots">robots</a> capable of disassembling over a million iPhones in a year, and <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/04/apple-expands-the-use-of-recycled-materials-across-its-products/">increasingly uses</a> recycled materials to build most of its flagship devices. It claims that its spaceship-like Cupertino headquarters, whose gigantic circular roof is covered with hundreds of <a href="https://www.vox.com/solar-energy">solar panels</a>, is powered by <a href="https://www.vox.com/renewable-energy">renewable energy</a>, and is spending millions to save mangroves and savannas in <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/04/conserving-mangroves-to-protect-local-livelihoods-and-the-planet/">India</a> and <a href="https://www.apple.com/ke/newsroom/2021/04/apple-and-partners-launch-first-ever-200-million-restore-fund/">Kenya</a>. At its September 12 event, where it launched a $1,200 titanium phone and a watch that isn’t too different from last year’s model beyond a brand-new “<a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2023/09/apple-unveils-its-first-carbon-neutral-products/#:~:text=All%20new%20Apple%20Watch%20Sport,over%2099%20percent%20fiber%2Dbased">carbon neutral</a>” logo on its plastic-free packaging, Apple reiterated <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2020/07/apple-commits-to-be-100-percent-carbon-neutral-for-its-supply-chain-and-products-by-2030/">its plans</a> to go entirely carbon neutral by 2030 in a <a href="https://x.com/ashleevance/status/1702168116133060815?s=20">deeply</a> <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/09/13/apples-mother-nature-sketch-was-a-complete-dud-and-didnt-belong-in-the-iphone-15-event/amp/">polarizing</a> skit starring Octavia Spencer as “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNv9PRDIhes">Mother Nature</a>.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="qHUf8L">
And yet, Apple sells tens of <a href="https://www.phonearena.com/news/apple-airpods-pro-2-sales-q3-2022-true-wireless-earbuds-market-report_id144085">millions</a> of AirPods each year, a product that critics have long <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/10/08/everyones-airpods-will-die-weve-got-trick-replacing-them/">pointed out</a> is harmful for the environment.
</p>
<aside id="TWeyoP">
<div>
</div>
</aside>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="AuBZr4">
Every single sleek earbud is a dense bundle of rare earth metals glued together in a hard plastic shell. Each one also contains a tiny lithium-ion battery that degrades over time like all batteries do, which means that eventually, all AirPods stop holding enough charge to be usable, sometimes in as little as 18 months.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="XwrKSm">
That’s where the problem lies: Unlike iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and MacBooks, which can be opened up and have failing batteries swapped relatively easily, AirPods aren’t really designed up be cracked apart by you, repair shops, or recycling companies without destroying their shells in the process, or <a href="https://www.wired.com/2016/12/recycle-apple-airpods/">shedding blood</a> trying to cut them open.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="NAUQzo">
“It’s in the ‘insanely difficult’ category,” Wiens told Vox, “which is why you don’t have too many repair shops in the US trying to do this.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="AAiOwq">
This lack of repairability of AirPods raises an important issue: What does the Right to Repair law mean for a product that isn’t designed to be repaired?
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="jZlCGA">
“AirPods are too difficult to fix — that is clear,” said Jenn Engstrom, state director at CALPIRG, a California consumer rights nonprofit that has been pushing the state to implement Right to Repair legislation for years. “Right to Repair reforms ensure that you can’t make repairs proprietary. But for some devices, the design gets in the way even if you can access parts and manuals. We believe Right to Repair sets a basic expectation that a product should be fixable. But yeah, we can only repair what is repairable.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="JtCJor">
Apple did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="jC8zkK">
In 2022, Apple <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/04/apples-self-service-repair-now-available/">launched</a> its own Self Service Repair program. For a chunk of change and a <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2022/5/21/23079058/apple-self-service-iphone-repair-kit-hands-on">whole lot of trouble</a>, the company provides manuals, sells parts, and rents out official equipment to let people repair iPhones, Macs, and Apple displays. But when Right to Repair becomes law in California, the company will be required to provide it for all products it sells. The problem is that AirPods aren’t designed to be repaired at all.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Zxk2Eg">
“AirPods are an environmental catastrophe,” Wiens said. “They’re a product that I don’t think should exist in their current state. They’re almost impossible to recycle economically.”
</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Several sets of AirPods are on display in an Apple Store." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/RoID4uVHq7R3igMlkxRLry__2Jc=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24925382/GettyImages_1242120473.jpg"/> <cite>Hollie Adams / Bloomberg via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>
Due to their lithium-ion batteries, AirPods can stop working after just 18 months, and there’s no easy way to fix them.
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="CCZESF">
Apple <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/08/17/seven-years-later-apple-was-right-to-kill-off-the-35mm-headphone-jack#:~:text=It%20may%20be%20easy%20to,and%20are%20">released</a> AirPods in 2016, the same year it removed the headphone jack on iPhones, spawning an entire industry of truly wireless earbuds with tiny charging cases. At first, AirPods were the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/shortcuts/2019/feb/10/how-did-apples-airpods-go-from-mockery-to-millennial-status-symbol">butt of jokes</a>. Some people thought wearing a pair in public was a <a href="https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/airpod-flexing">flex</a>. The Guardian <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/sep/07/apple-airpods-launch-problems-with-wireless-headphones">said</a> that AirPods were “like a tampon without a string.” Then, they were everywhere.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="yWjhaK">
As a feat of engineering, AirPods are, indeed, impressive. Each one <a href="https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/AirPods+Teardown/75578">packs in</a> a sophisticated processor, microphones, drivers, optical sensors, and a motion accelerometer to detect when it’s in or out of your ear in a space less than 2 inches long. All these tiny components are jammed together and sealed inside sleek plastic casing designed to look smooth and seamless, making AirPods damn near impossible to open.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="li11dI">
But a key reason that makes AirPods disposable is what powers them. Thanks to chemical reactions that take place when you charge and discharge them, the lithium-ion batteries that power AirPods and other modern electronics hold less and less charge over time. The ones in AirPods are also tiny, which means that while a new one might run for up to six hours on a single charge when new, they might last for less than 60 minutes after a couple of years of heavy use.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="3YhpdM">
Apple didn’t provide a way to recycle a pair of AirPods when they were first released. Eventually, the company let people <a href="https://support.apple.com/airpods/repair#:~:text=We%20can%20replace%20your%20AirPods,80%25%20of%20its%20original%20capacity">swap</a> out a dying AirPod for a new one — for $49 a piece — if they were out of warranty, and then sent the old AirPods to one of the handful of <a href="https://support.apple.com/guide/airpods/disposal-and-recycling-information-dev4b98b4784/web">recyclers</a> it partners with. Apple also lets you mail in a pair of AirPods to recycle responsibly instead of tossing them into the trash.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="LDGltd">
In 2019, however, after a viral, <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/neaz3d/airpods-are-a-tragedy">4,000-word Vice essay</a> called the wireless earbuds a “tragedy,” the notoriously secretive Apple pulled back the curtain on the AirPods recycling process. Wistron GreenTech, a Texas-based subsidiary of Taiwanese manufacturing giant Wistron that Apple hired to recycle AirPods, later <a href="https://onezero.medium.com/what-really-happens-to-airpods-when-they-die-9ba2fe97b346?gi=3581c2147ac7">told</a> tech publication OneZero that AirPods couldn’t be opened by any kind of automated system. Instead, each device had to be manually pried apart by a worker with pliers and jigs. And because it cost more to open up a pair of AirPods than the value of the material extracted from it, Apple paid Wistron — and, presumably, its other recycling partners — a fee to cover the difference.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="bdWL6v">
“It is not easy to fully repair broken AirPods, but we are able to reuse components for other units,” Rob Greening, a spokesperson for Decluttr, an online platform that lets people trade in old devices for cash or gift cards, told Vox.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="w8hYOL">
When AirPods launched, iFixit <a href="https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/AirPods+Teardown/75578">gave them</a> a repairability score of zero out of 10, noting that accessing any component was impossible without destroying the AirPods’ outer casing. At iFixit, Wiens said he bans employees from using AirPods at work. The company also has a workplace perk, he said, where it buys employees any headphones they want as long as they meet iFixit’s repairability criteria — which AirPods don’t.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="0Fajr3">
Because Apple <a href="https://support.apple.com/airpods/repair">claims</a> to “replace your AirPods battery for a service fee,” Wiens thinks that AirPods should be subject to California’s Right to Repair law, too. But because the earphones are not designed to be opened up, it’s unclear how.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="fnWD3x">
“I’d sure like to see Apple’s recommended process for doing it,” Wiens said. “There is some possibility that Apple is smarter than everyone and has some secret way to do it, but we haven’t figured it out yet.”
</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Three Apple Watches sit on pedestals in front of a crowd of people." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/n7-wdkW_h-AAj1vAe8Uc-lr8dQw=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24925384/GettyImages_1660933910.jpg"/> <cite>David Paul Morris / Bloomberg via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>
With much fanfare, Apple announced its first carbon-neutral product, the latest Apple Watch, at an event on September 12.
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="sDs4dP">
AirPods are likely just a fraction of the <a href="https://pirg.org/edfund/articles/what-is-e-waste/">6.9 million tons</a> of e-waste that the US generates each year. But they are symbolic of the larger environmental problems that products of their category cause.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="ohK4Ak">
In a 2022 <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/25148486221076136">paper</a> called “AirPods and the Earth,” <a href="https://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/expertise/profile.cfm?stref=299250">Sy Taffel</a>, a lecturer at New Zealand’s Massey University whose research focuses on digital technology and the environment, argued that any right to repair legislation should prohibit the production of irreparable digital devices such as AirPods, as the right to repair an irreparable device is effectively meaningless.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="D6PcNH">
“You can’t pop in a new battery in an old AirPod the same way you can pop in a new battery into an old iPhone,” Taffel told Vox. “So even getting a replacement from Apple doesn’t really ameliorate any of the environmental harms these things cause. It just means that as a consumer, you end up paying a bit less money than if you were going to buy a completely new set.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="mvr1Fc">
Earlier this year, the European Parliament <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/news/eu-smartphones-must-have-user-replaceable-batteries-by-2027">approved</a> new rules that mandate consumer devices such as smartphones, tablets, and cameras to have batteries that users must be able to remove and replace easily. Taffel said that he would like lawmakers to lay down similar rules for wireless earphones including AirPods.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="OTnPHv">
“There’s a reason the sustainability mantra is repair, reuse, reduce, recycle,” he said. “Recycling always comes last because recycling stuff takes a lot of energy. It’s not always feasible.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="xg8pC3">
Just over a decade ago, the primary battery-powered devices most people had were smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Today, we have smart watches, wireless headphones, smart speakers, e-readers, and VR headsets. Next year, Apple will release its own pair of high-end VR glasses called the Vision Pro.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="U1VC5u">
“The market capitalization of tech companies is partly based on the idea that they will continue to create new categories of digital devices that will be considered popular and will be widely sold,” Taffel said.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="CwuSEQ">
Unlike a pair of wired headphones that you could potentially use for decades, the pair of AirPods you buy today will run out of steam sometime in the next couple of years. At that rate, you will have bought half a dozen pairs of AirPods, tossing your old ones in the drawer, or in the trash. Or maybe you’ll have sent them in for recycling, forcing recycling companies to expend even more energy in the process.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="wY5V7B">
“From an environmental perspective, we need to be doing less and less and less,” Taffel said. “But tech’s model is one of constant growth. There’s always more and more and more. Both these things are completely incompatible.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="qKvDWP">
All of this is the opposite of Apple’s increased emphasis on being environmentally responsible. Hanging on to your existing devices for as long as possible is one of the most effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint. But it’s also bad for Apple’s bottom line. Already, the company’s latest iPhones, which went on sale today, are <a href="https://x.com/markgurman/status/1702686225222746480?s=20">backordered</a>.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="gYyGQO">
In Apple’s controversial skit, CEO <a href="https://www.vox.com/tim-cook">Tim Cook</a> promises “Mother Nature” that all Apple devices will have “a net zero climate impact” by 2030.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="YmmpBI">
“All of them?” she asks.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="DkJ9bd">
“All of them,” Cook says.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="j70Jtd">
“They better.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="YsC83Z">
“They will.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="nEbuvF">
The two stare at each other for a long moment. And when the tension reaches a crescendo, Mother Nature breaks it with a cheerful “Okay! Good! See you next year.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="nswhwi">
Not once does anyone mention AirPods.
</p></li>
</ul>
<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>Wrestler Abhimanyu upsets higher-ranked Ukrainian in opening round of World Championships</strong> - Abhimanyu, the bronze-medal winner at the U23 World Championships in June and ranked 26th in the world, defeated the Ukrainian 19-9, effecting a victory by fall</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>Royal Nobility, Supreme Grandeur, Aurora Borealis and Great Spirit please</strong> -</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 should be controlled by the ICC, not by a country or an individual: Former SL captain Arjuna Ranatunga</strong> - Ranatunga refers to the ICC as a toothless body that doesn’t protect the interest of international cricket and cricketers</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>Emperor Roderic and Alpha Domino catch the eye</strong> -</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>Eridani, Acaster, Pharazon, Synthesis, Neziah, Katana and Aralina excel</strong> -</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>Literacy Mission exams in Kerala’s Ernakulam district throw up many inspiring tales</strong> - Examinations for the 16th batch of the tenth equivalent course are being held across 16 centres in Ernakulam district</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>Congress to launch ‘Jan Aakrosh’ Yatra against ‘failures’ of Madhya Pradesh govt from Sep 19</strong> - He alleged Madhya Pradesh is witnessing “severe anarchy, crime, fear, atrocities and looting”.</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>Vehicle loaded with 29 kg of ganja impounded in Kozhikode</strong> - Two persons taken into custody</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>People will never accept INDIA bloc: Union Minister Anurag Thakur</strong> - Thakur said the leaders of the INDIA bloc have only changed their attire, but their behaviour and character remain the same</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>Congress prods SEBI to act against Adani firms, demands probe by JPC</strong> - Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh wondered whether SEBI will act now that the Mauritius financial regulator has revoked the licences of two such entities.</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>Ukraine’s Crimea attacks seen as key to counter-offensive against Russia</strong> - This week’s attacks against Russian targets are part of increased efforts to cut supply lines.</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>Luis Rubiales given Spanish restraining order over World Cup kiss</strong> - Prosecutors asked the court to bar Spain’s ex-football president from approaching player Jenni Hermoso.</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>Rubiales’s day in court over World Cup kiss… in 86 seconds</strong> - Spain’s Women’s World Cup success has been overshadowed by the actions of Luis Rubiales during celebrations.</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>Poland: Government under pressure over escalating cash for visas scandal</strong> - Media reports say migrants paid up to $5,000 (£4,000) each to speed up work visa applications.</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>Historic Ukrainian sites in Kyiv and Lviv added to UN danger list</strong> - St Sophia’s Cathedral in Lviv is among the buildings the UN warns is at risk of destruction.</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>NASA clears the air: No evidence that UFOs are aliens</strong> - NASA attempts to make conversations about aerial phenomena more scientific. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1968866">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Toddler poisoned after eating deadly plant mislabeled as diet supplement</strong> - Nine out of 10 Tejocote Root products tested were actually deadly yellow oleander. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1968912">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Funky AI-generated spiraling medieval village captivates social media</strong> - “This was the point where AI-generated art passed the Turing Test for me.” - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1968790">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>“Most notorious” illegal shadow library sued by textbook publishers [Updated]</strong> - Previous efforts to unmask the people behind Libgen have failed. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1968849">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Musk’s X revokes paid blue check from United Auto Workers after strike called</strong> - After a report called out Musk’s union-busting, UAW’s blue check got reinstated. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1968789">link</a></p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-jokes-subreddit">From Jokes Subreddit</h1>
<ul>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>An old man calls his son and says, “Listen, your mother and I are getting divorced. Forty-five years of misery is enough.”</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF --></p>
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
“Dad, what are you talking about?” the son screams.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
“We can’t stand the sight of each other any longer,” he says. “I’m sick of her face, and I’m sick of talking about this, so call your sister and tell her,” and he hangs up.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Now, the son is worried. He calls his sister. She says, “Like hell they’re getting divorced!” She calls their father immediately. “You’re not getting divorced! Don’t do another thing. The two of us are flying home tomorrow to talk about this. Until then, don’t call a lawyer, don’t file a paper. DO YOU HEAR ME?” She hangs up the phone.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The old man turns to his wife and says, "Okay, they’re both coming for Christmas and paying their own airfares.
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/IdeaCafe"> /u/IdeaCafe </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/16jzbhm/an_old_man_calls_his_son_and_says_listen_your/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/16jzbhm/an_old_man_calls_his_son_and_says_listen_your/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A firefighter was working on the engine outside the Station, when he noticed a little girl nearby in a little red wagon with little ladders hung off the sides and a garden hose tightly coiled in the middle. The girl was wearing a firefighter’s helmet.</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF --></p>
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The wagon was being pulled by her dog and her cat. The firefighter walked over to take a closer look. “That sure is a nice fire truck,” the firefighter said with admiration. “Thanks,” the girl replied. The firefighter looked a little closer. The girl had tied the wagon to her dog’s collar and to the cat’s testicles. “Little partner,” the firefighter said, “I don’t want to tell you how to run your rig, but if you were to tie that rope around the cat’s collar, I think you could go faster.” The little girl replied thoughtfully, “You’re probably right, but then I wouldn’t have a siren.”
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/YZXFILE"> /u/YZXFILE </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/16jtv54/a_firefighter_was_working_on_the_engine_outside/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/16jtv54/a_firefighter_was_working_on_the_engine_outside/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Little Johnny</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF --></p>
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Little Johnny is sitting in class, the teacher is going over vocabulary words. She asks the class to use a word in a sentence. The teacher says the word is “contagious”. Little Johnny is waving his arm up and down, no other students have their arm up. The teacher figures there is no way Johnny can come up with something rude for this word, and she calls his name to use the word in a sentence. Johnny says the other day, my dad and I were driving down the freeway and woman was painting a billboard, she was using a very small brush. The teacher says “what does this have to do the word contagious?” Johnny says “my dad turned to me and said: ‘Son it is going to take that “cunt-ages” to paint that billboard with that little brush!’”
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/WhatIsThis187"> /u/WhatIsThis187 </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/16jrlnl/little_johnny/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/16jrlnl/little_johnny/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Who can drink 5 gallons of petrol without getting sick?</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF --></p>
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Jerry can.
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Gaeleng"> /u/Gaeleng </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/16jyk20/who_can_drink_5_gallons_of_petrol_without_getting/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/16jyk20/who_can_drink_5_gallons_of_petrol_without_getting/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>What is the worst thing you can say when someone points a gun at you?</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF --></p>
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Oh, Shoot!
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Shoo7ingStar777"> /u/Shoo7ingStar777 </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/16jylin/what_is_the_worst_thing_you_can_say_when_someone/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/16jylin/what_is_the_worst_thing_you_can_say_when_someone/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
</ul>
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