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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>Seroprevalence of COVID-19 in HIV Population</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Background: seroprevalence helps us to estimate the exact prevalence of a disease in a population. More than a year since the identification of the disease, it is still not known the exact burden of the disease in the PLHA group. Seroprevalence data in this subset of the population is scarce in most part of the world, including India. The current study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody among people living with HIV/AIDS. Aim: To determine the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in PLHA (People living with HIV/AIDS). Design: This was an observational prospective cohort study. Method: This cross-sectional study, conducted at a tertiary care hospital in North India, recruited HIV positive patients following at the ART centre of the institute. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody levels targeting recombinant spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) protein of SARS CoV-2 were estimated in serum sample by the chemiluminescent immunoassay method. Results: A total of 164 patients were recruited in the study with mean age (+SD) of 41.2 (+15.4) years and 55% male population. Positive serology against SARS CoV-2 was detected in 14% patients (95% C 9.1-20.3%). Conclusion: The seroprevalence of COVID-19 disease in PLHA was found to be lower than the general population.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.17.21259066v1" target="_blank">Seroprevalence of COVID-19 in HIV Population</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>WHotLAMP: A simple, inexpensive, and sensitive molecular test for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Despite the development of effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, epidemiological control of the virus is still challenging due to slow vaccine rollouts, incomplete vaccine protection to current and emerging variants, and unwillingness to get vaccinated. Therefore, frequent testing of individuals to identify early SARS-CoV-2 infections, contact-tracing and isolation strategies remain crucial to mitigate viral spread. Here, we describe WHotLAMP, a rapid molecular test to detect SARS-CoV-2 in saliva. WHotLAMP is simple to use, highly sensitive (3.6 viral RNA copies per microliter of saliva) and specific, as well as inexpensive, making it ideal for frequent screening. Moreover, WHotLAMP does not require harsh chemicals or specialized equipment and thus can be performed in point-of-care settings, and may also be adapted for resource-limited environments or home use. While applied here to SARS-CoV-2, WHotLAMP can be easily modified to detect other pathogens, making it adaptable for other diagnostic assays, including for use in future outbreaks.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.17.21259050v1" target="_blank">WHotLAMP: A simple, inexpensive, and sensitive molecular test for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Understanding the Potential Impact of Different Drug Properties On SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and Disease Burden: A Modelling Analysis</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Background The unprecedented public health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has motivated a rapid search for potential therapeutics, with some key successes. However, the potential impact of different treatments, and consequently research and procurement priorities, have not been clear. Methods and Findings We develop a mathematical model of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, COVID-19 disease and clinical care to explore the potential public-health impact of a range of different potential therapeutics, under a range of different scenarios varying: i) healthcare capacity, ii) epidemic trajectories; and iii) drug efficacy in the absence of supportive care. In each case, the outcome of interest was the number of COVID-19 deaths averted in scenarios with the therapeutic compared to scenarios without. We find the impact of drugs like dexamethasone (which are delivered to the most critically-ill in hospital and whose therapeutic benefit is expected to depend on the availability of supportive care such as oxygen and mechanical ventilation) is likely to be limited in settings where healthcare capacity is lowest or where uncontrolled epidemics result in hospitals being overwhelmed. As such, it may avert 22% of deaths in high-income countries but only 8% in low-income countries (assuming R=1.35). Therapeutics for different patient populations (those not in hospital, early in the course of infection) and types of benefit (reducing disease severity or infectiousness, preventing hospitalisation) could have much greater benefits, particularly in resource-poor settings facing large epidemics. Conclusions There is a global asymmetry in who is likely to benefit from advances in the treatment of COVID-19 to date, which have been focussed on hospitalised-patients and predicated on an assumption of adequate access to supportive care. Therapeutics that can feasibly be delivered to those earlier in the course of infection that reduce the need for healthcare or reduce infectiousness could have significant impact, and research into their efficacy and means of delivery should be a priority.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.17.21259078v1" target="_blank">Understanding the Potential Impact of Different Drug Properties On SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and Disease Burden: A Modelling Analysis</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>A Short Plus Long-Amplicon Based Sequencing Approach Improves Genomic Coverage and Variant Detection In the SARS-CoV-2 Genome</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
High viral transmission in the COVID-19 pandemic has enabled SARS‐CoV‐2 to acquire new mutations that impact genome sequencing methods. The ARTIC.v3 primer pool that amplifies short amplicons in a multiplex-PCR reaction is one of the most widely used methods for sequencing the SARS-CoV-2 genome. We observed that some genomic intervals are poorly captured with ARTIC primers. To improve the genomic coverage and variant detection across these intervals, we designed long amplicon primers and evaluated the performance of a short (ARTIC) plus long amplicon (MRL) sequencing approach. Sequencing assays were optimized on VR-1986D-ATCC RNA followed by sequencing of nasopharyngeal swab specimens from five COVID-19 positive patients. ARTIC data covered &gt;90% of the virus genome fraction in the positive control and four of the five patient samples. Variant analysis in the ARTIC data detected 67 mutations, including 66 single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and one deletion in ORF10. Of 66 SNVs, five were present in the spike gene, including nt22093 (M177I), nt23042 (S494P), nt23403 (D614G), nt23604 (P681H), and nt23709 (T716I). The D614G mutation is a common variant that has been shown to alter the fitness of SARS-CoV-2. Two spike protein mutations, P681H and T716I, which are represented in the B.1.1.7 lineage of SARS-CoV-2, were also detected in one patient. Long-amplicon data detected 58 variants, of which 70% were concordant with ARTIC data. Combined analysis of ARTIC +MRL data revealed 22 mutations that were either ambiguous (17) or not called at all (5) in ARTIC data due to poor sequencing coverage. For example, a common mutation in the ORF3a gene at nt25907 (G172V) was missed by the ARTIC assay. Hybrid data analysis improved sequencing coverage overall and identified 59 high confidence mutations for phylogenetic analysis. Thus, we show that while the short amplicon (ARTIC) assay provides good genomic coverage with high throughput, complementation of poorly captured intervals with long amplicon data can significantly improve SARS-CoV-2 genomic coverage and variant detection.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.16.21259029v1" target="_blank">A Short Plus Long-Amplicon Based Sequencing Approach Improves Genomic Coverage and Variant Detection In the SARS-CoV-2 Genome</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>The Spectre of SARS-CoV-2 in the Ambient Urban Natural Water in Ahmedabad and Guwahati: A Tale of Two Cities</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
COVID 19 positive patients can egest live SARSCoV2 virus and viral genome fragments through faecal matter and urine, raising concerns about viral transmission through faecal oral route and/or contaminated aerosolized water. These worries are heightened in many low and middle income nations, where raw sewage is often dumped into surface waterways and open defecation betide. In this manuscript we attempt to discern the presence of SARSCoV2 genetic material (ORF1ab, N, and S genes) in two urban cities of India viz., Ahmedabad, in western India with several WWTPs and Guwahati, in the northeast of the country with no such treatment plants. The study was carried out to establish the applicability of WBE for COVID19 surveillance as a potential tool for public health monitoring at the community level. 25.8% and 20% of the surface water samples had detectable SARSCoV2 RNA load in Ahmedabad and Guwahati, respectively. N gene&gt;S gene&gt;ORF 1ab gene was readily detected in the surface water of Ahmedabad, whereas, no such significant trend was found in the case of Guwahati. The high concentration of gene (ORF1ab 800 copies/L for Sabarmati river, Ahmedabad and S gene 565 copies/L for Bharalu urban river, Guwahati) found in natural waters indicates WWTPs do not always completely remove the genetic material of the virus. The study shows the applicability of WBE surveillance of COVID 19 in cities with low sanitation as well as in rural areas. The method used in this study cannot detect the live viruses, hence further research is required to evaluate the transmission implication of COVID19 via ambient water if any.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.12.21258829v3" target="_blank">The Spectre of SARS-CoV-2 in the Ambient Urban Natural Water in Ahmedabad and Guwahati: A Tale of Two Cities</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Determination of IgG1 and IgG3 SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and nucleocapsid binding. Who is binding who and why?</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The involvement of IgG3 within the humoral immune response to SARS-CoV2 infection has been implicated in the pathogenesis of ARDS in COVID-19. The exact molecular mechanism is unknown but is thought to involve this IgG subtypes differential ability to fix complement and stimulate cytokine release. We examined convalescent patients antibodies binding to immobilised nucleocapsid and spike protein by MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry. IgG3 was a major immunoglobulin found in all samples. Differential analysis of the spectral signatures found for nucleocapsid versus spike protein demonstrated that the predominant humoral immune response to nucleocapsid was IgG3, whilst against spike it was IgG1. However, the spike protein displayed a strong affinity for IgG3 itself which it would bind from control plasma samples as well as from those previously infected with SARS-CoV2, much in the way Protein-G binds IgG1. Furthermore, detailed spectral analysis indicated a mass shift consistent with hyper-glycosylation or glycation was a characteristic of the IgG3 captured by the spike protein.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.17.21259077v1" target="_blank">Determination of IgG1 and IgG3 SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and nucleocapsid binding. Who is binding who and why?</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Evaluation of the Access Bio CareStartTM rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen test in asymptomatic individuals tested at a community mass-testing program in Western Massachusetts</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Background: Point-of-care antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) represent a scalable tool for SARS-CoV-2 infections surveillance. Data on their performance in real-world community settings is paramount for their implementation. Method: We evaluated the accuracy of CareStartTM COVID-19 Antigen test (CareStart) in a testing site in Holyoke, Massachusetts. We compared CareStart to a SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) reference, using anterior nasal swab samples. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, and expected positive and negative predictive values at different SARS-CoV-2 prevalence estimates. Results: We performed 666 tests on 591 unique individuals. 573 (86%) were asymptomatic. There were 52 positive tests by RT-qPCR. The sensitivity of CareStart was 49.0% (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 34.8 - 63.4) and specificity was 99.5% (95% CI: 98.5 - 99.9). Among positive RT-qPCR tests, the median cycle threshold (Ct) was significantly lower in samples that tested positive on CareStart. Using a Ct ≤ 30 as a benchmark for positivity increased the sensitivity to 64.9% (95% CI: 47.5 - 79.8). Conclusions: CareStart has a high specificity and moderate sensitivity. The utility of RDTs, such as CareStart, in mass implementation should prioritize use cases in which a higher specificity is more important.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.17.21259109v1" target="_blank">Evaluation of the Access Bio CareStartTM rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen test in asymptomatic individuals tested at a community mass-testing program in Western Massachusetts</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 δ variant in the area of Paris (France) in June 2021</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Analysing 5,061 variant-specific tests performed on SARS-CoV-2 positive samples collected in France between 31 May and 8 June 2021 reveals a rapid growth of the δ variant in the Ile-de-France region. The next weeks will prove decisive but the magnitude of the estimated transmission advantage (with a 95% confidence interval between 67 and 120%) could represent a major challenge for public health authorities.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.16.21259052v1" target="_blank">Rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 δ variant in the area of Paris (France) in June 2021</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Far from the eyes, far from the heart. COVID-19 confinement dampened sensitivity to painful facial features.</strong> -
<div>
In the last two years, governments of many countries imposed heavy social restrictions to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus, with consequent increase of bad mood, distress, or depression for the people involved. Few studies investigated the impact of these restrictive measures on individual social proficiency, and specifically the processing of emotional facial information, leading to mixed results. The present research aimed at investigating systematically whether, and to which extent, social isolation influences the processing of facial expressions. To this end, we manipulated the social exclusion experimentally through the well-known Cyberball game (within-subject factor), and we exploited the occurrence of the lockdown for the Swiss COVID-19 first wave by recruiting participants before and after being restricted at home (grouping factor). We then tested whether either form of social segregation influenced the processing of pain, disgust or neutral expressions, across multiple tasks probing access to different components of affective facial responses (state-specific, shared across states). We found that the lockdown (but not game-induced exclusion) affected negatively the processing of pain-specific information, without influencing other components of the affective facial response related to disgust or broad unpleasantness. In addition, participants recruited after the confinement reported lower scores in both empathy questionnaires and affective assessments of Cyberball co-players. These results suggest that social isolation affected negatively individual sensitivity to other people’s affect and, with specific reference to the processing of facial expressions, the processing of pain-diagnostic information.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://psyarxiv.com/ewvp7/" target="_blank">Far from the eyes, far from the heart. COVID-19 confinement dampened sensitivity to painful facial features.</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>The percentage of Monocytes CD39+ is higher in Pregnant COVID-19 than in Non-Pregnant COVID-19 patients</strong> -
<div>
Current medical guidelines consider COVID-19 pregnant women a high-risk group. Physiological gestation down-regulates the immunological response to maintain “maternal-fetal tolerance”; hence, a SARS-CoV-2 infection constitutes a potentially threatening condition to both the mother and the fetus. To establish the immune profile in pregnant COVID-19+ patients a cross-sectional study was conducted. Leukocyte immunophenotype, mononuclear leukocyte response to polyclonal stimulus, and cytokine/chemokine serum concentration were analyzed in pregnant fifteen COVID-19+ and control groups (fifteen non-pregnant COVID-19+, and thirteen pregnant COVID-19- women). Pregnant COVID-19+ patients exhibit lower percentages of monocytes HLA-DR+ compared with control groups. Nevertheless, pregnant COVID-19+ women show a higher percentage of monocytes CD39+ than controls. Furthermore, a higher concentration of TNF-alfa, IL-6, MIP1b, and IL-4 was observed within the pregnant COVID-19+ group. Our result shows that pregnant women express immunological characteristics that potentially mediate the immune response in COVID-19.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.18.449054v1" target="_blank">The percentage of Monocytes CD39+ is higher in Pregnant COVID-19 than in Non-Pregnant COVID-19 patients</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Differences in IgG antibody responses following BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 Vaccines</strong> -
<div>
Studies examining antibody responses by vaccine brand are lacking and may be informative for optimizing vaccine selection, dosage, and regimens. The purpose of this study is to assess IgG antibody responses following immunization with BNT162b2 (30 g S protein) and mRNA-1273 (100 g S protein) vaccines. A cohort of clinicians at a non-for-profit organization is being assessed clinically and serologically following immunization with BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273. IgG responses were measured at the Remington Laboratory by an IgG against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-receptor binding domain. Mixed-effect linear (MEL) regression modeling was used to examine whether the SARS-CoV-2 IgG level differed by vaccine brand, dosage, or days since vaccination. Among 532 SARS-CoV-2 seronegative participants, 530 (99.6%) seroconverted with either vaccine. After adjustments for age and gender MEL regression modeling revealed that the average IgG increased after the second dose compared to the first dose (p&lt;0.001). Overall, titers peaked at week six for both vaccines. Titers were significantly higher for mRNA-1273 vaccine on days 14-20 (p &lt; 0.05), 42-48 (p &lt; 0.01), 70-76 (p &lt; 0.05), 77-83 (p &lt; 0.05), and higher for BNT162b2 vaccine on days 28-34 (p &lt; 0.001). In two participants taking immunosuppressive drugs SARS-CoV-2 IgG remained negative. The mRNA-1273 vaccine elicited both earlier antibody responses than BNT162b2 and higher antibody levels, possibly due to the higher S-protein delivery. Prospective clinical and serological follow-up of defined cohorts such as this may prove useful in determining antibody protection and whether differences in antibody kinetics between the vaccines have clinical significance.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.18.449086v1" target="_blank">Differences in IgG antibody responses following BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 Vaccines</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Mapping the host protein interactome of non-coding regions in SARS-CoV-2 genome</strong> -
<div>
A deep understanding of SARS-CoV-2-host interactions is crucial to the development of effective therapeutics. The role of non-coding regions of viral RNA (ncrRNAs) has not been scrutinized. We developed a method using MS2 affinity purification coupled with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (MAMS) to systematically map the interactome of SARS-CoV-2 ncrRNA in different human cell lines. Integration of the results defined the core and cell-type-specific ncrRNA-host protein interactomes. The majority of ncrRNA-binding proteins were involved in RNA biogenesis, protein translation, viral infection, and stress response. The 5’ UTR interactome is enriched with proteins in the snRNP family and is a target for the regulation of viral replication and transcription. The 3’ UTR interactome is enriched with proteins involved in the cytoplasmic RNP granule (stress granule) and translation regulation. We show that the ORF10 is likely to be a part of 3’ UTR. Intriguingly, the interactions between negative-sense ncrRNAs and host proteins, such as translation initiation factors and antiviral factors, suggest a pathological role of negative-sense ncrRNAs. Moreover, the cell-type-specific interactions between ncrRNAs and mitochondria may explain the differences of cell lines in viral susceptibility. Our study unveils a comprehensive landscape of the functional SARS-CoV-2 ncrRNA-host protein interactome, providing a new perspective on virus-host interactions and the design of future therapeutics.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.19.449092v1" target="_blank">Mapping the host protein interactome of non-coding regions in SARS-CoV-2 genome</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Discovery of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro Peptide Inhibitors from Modelling Substrate and Ligand Binding</strong> -
<div>
The main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is central to its viral lifecycle and is a promising drug target, but little is known concerning structural aspects of how it binds to its 11 natural cleavage sites. We used biophysical and crystallographic data and an array of classical molecular mechanics and quantum mechanical techniques, including automated docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, linear-scaling DFT, QM/MM, and interactive MD in virtual reality, to investigate the molecular features underlying recognition of the natural Mpro substrates. Analyses of the subsite interactions of modelled 11-residue cleavage site peptides, ligands from high-throughput crystallography, and designed covalently binding inhibitors were performed. Modelling studies reveal remarkable conservation of hydrogen bonding patterns of the natural Mpro substrates, particularly on the N-terminal side of the scissile bond. They highlight the critical role of interactions beyond the immediate active site in recognition and catalysis, in particular at the P2/S2 sites. The binding modes of the natural substrates, together with extensive interaction analyses of inhibitor and fragment binding to Mpro, reveal new opportunities for inhibition. Building on our initial Mpro-substrate models, computational mutagenesis scanning was employed to design peptides with improved affinity and which inhibit Mpro competitively. The combined results provide new insight useful for the development of Mpro inhibitors.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.18.446355v1" target="_blank">Discovery of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro Peptide Inhibitors from Modelling Substrate and Ligand Binding</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Structural basis for the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 virulence factor nsp1 with Pol α - Primase</strong> -
<div>
The molecular mechanisms that drive the infection by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, the causative agent of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease-2019) pandemic, are under intense current scrutiny, to understand how the virus operates and to uncover ways in which the disease can be prevented or alleviated. Recent cell-based analyses of SARS-CoV-2 protein - protein interactions have mapped the human proteins targeted by the virus. The DNA polymerase - primase complex or primosome, responsible for initiating DNA synthesis in genomic duplication, was identified as a target of nsp1 (non structural protein 1), a major virulence factor in the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, we report the biochemical characterisation of the interaction between nsp1 and the primosome and the cryoEM structure of the primosome - nsp1 complex. Our data provide a structural basis for the reported interaction between the primosome and nsp1. They suggest that Pol - primase plays a part in the immune response to the viral infection, and that its targeting by SARS-CoV-2 aims to interfere with such function.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.17.448816v1" target="_blank">Structural basis for the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 virulence factor nsp1 with Pol α - Primase</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Mutations within the Open Reading Frame (ORF) including Ochre stop codon of the Surface Glycoprotein gene of SARS-CoV-2 virus erase potential seed location motifs of human non-coding microRNAs.</strong> -
<div>
MicroRNA are short and non-coding RNA, 18-25 nucleotides in length. They are produced at the early stage of viral infection. The roles played by cellular miRNAs and miRNA-mediated gene-silencing in the COVID-19 epidemic period is critical in order to develop novel therapeutics. We analysed SARS-CoV-2 Surface Glycoprotein (S) nucleotide sequence originating from India as well as Iran, Australia, Germany, Italy, Russia, China, Japan and Turkey and identified mutation in potential seed location of several human miRNA. Seventy single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were detected in the S gene out of which, 36, 32 and 2 were cases of transitions, transversions and deletions respectively. Eleven human miRNA targets were identified on the reference S gene sequence with a score &gt;80 in the miRDB database. Mutation A845S erased a common binding site of 7 human miRNA (miR-195-5p, miR-16-5p, miR-15b-5p, miR-15a-5p, miR-497-5p, miR-424-5p and miR-6838-5p). A synonymous mutation altered the wild type Ochre stop codon within the S gene sequence (Italy) to Opal thereby changing the seed sequence of miR-511-3p. Similar (synonymous) mutations were detected at amino acid position 659 and 1116 of the S gene where amino acids serine and threonine were retained, abolishing potential seed location for miR-219a-1-3p and miR-20b-3p respectively. The significance of this finding in reference to the strategy to use synthetic miRNA combinations as a novel therapeutic tool is discussed.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.19.449095v1" target="_blank">Mutations within the Open Reading Frame (ORF) including Ochre stop codon of the Surface Glycoprotein gene of SARS-CoV-2 virus erase potential seed location motifs of human non-coding microRNAs.</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>Efficacy and Safety of XAV-19 for the Treatment of Moderate-to-severe COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   COVID-19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: XAV-19;   Drug: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Xenothera SAS<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>Study of Codivir in Patients With COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: Covidir injections;   Diagnostic Test: One Step Test;   Diagnostic Test: IgM and IgG dosage;   Diagnostic Test: RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2;   Diagnostic Test: Screening blood test;   Diagnostic Test: ECG;   Diagnostic Test: Medical evaluation;   Diagnostic Test: NEWS-2 score;   Diagnostic Test: WHO score<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   Code Pharma;   Zion Medical<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>Clinical Trial With N-acetylcysteine and Bromhexine for COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   COVID-19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: Vitamin C;   Drug: N-acetylcysteine (NAC);   Drug: NAC + Bromhexine (BMX)<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   Universidade Federal do Ceara;   Paulista School of Medicine-EPM, UNIFESP;   Health Surveillance Secretariat - SVS;   Central Laboratory of Public Health of Ceara - LACEN-CE;   Leonardo da Vinci Hospital - HLV;   São José Hospital for Infectious Diseases - HSJ;   Ceará Health Secretariat - SESA;   Municipal Health Secretary - SMS-Fortaleza<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>Augmentation of Immune Response to COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination Through OMT With Lymphatic Pumps</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Covid19<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Other: Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT)<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   Western University of Health Sciences;   American College of Osteopathic Physicians;   American Osteopathic Foundation;   Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California;   Xavier-Nichols Foundation<br/><b>Recruiting</b></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Tolerability,Safety of JS016 in SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)</strong> - <b>Conditions</b>:   COVID-19;   SARS-CoV-2<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Drug: Combination Product: JS016 (anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody)<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Peking Union Medical College Hospital<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>Open Label, Single-Center Study Utilizing BIOZEK COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Covid-19 Testing<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Diagnostic Test: Biozek Covid-19 Antigen Rapid Test (Saliva)<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Mach-E B.V.<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>Community-based Post-exposure Prophylaxis for COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Other: Guduchi Ghanvati;   Other: Standard guidelines<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   NMP Medical Research Institute;   Aarogyam UK;   Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Rajasthan Ayurved University;   Samta Ayurveda Prakoshtha, India;   Padmanabhama Ayurveda Hospital and Research Centre<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>Vitamin A Supplementation in Children With Moderate to Severe COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Covid19<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Dietary Supplement: Vitamin A supplement<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Shiraz University of Medical Sciences<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>Favipiravir +/- Nitazoxanide: Early Antivirals Combination Therapy in COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: Favipiravir;   Drug: Nitazoxanide;   Other: Nitazoxanide Placebo<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   Coordinación de Investigación en Salud, Mexico;   University College, London;   Centro de Investigacion y Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politecnico Nacional (CINVESTAV);   Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara;   Siegfried Rhein S.A. de C.V.;   Strides Pharma Science Limited;   Hakken Enterprise<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>Infliximab in the Treatment of Patients With Severe COVID-19 Disease</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   COVID-19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: Infliximab;   Other: Standard of Care<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   Jena University Hospital;   German Federal Ministry of Education and Research;   Celltrion<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>Impact of Moderate Exercise Training on Vitals and Peak VO2 in Different Age Categories of Adult in COVID-19.</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Other: Moderate Exercise Training (Age Group 1; Young adult 17 -30 years);   Other: Moderate Exercise Training (Age Group 2; 31 to 45 years);   Other: Moderate Exercise Training (Age Group 3; Above 45 years)<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Riphah International University<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>Ivermectin Treatment Efficacy in Covid-19 High Risk Patients</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   COVID-19<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Drug: Ivermectin 0.4mg/kg/day for 5 days<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Clinical Research Centre, Malaysia<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Study About the Response to the Administration of a Third Dose of mRNA-1273 Vaccine (COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna) in Renal Transplants With Immunological Failure Initial to Vaccination</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Covid19<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Drug: MRNA-1273<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Maria Joyera Rodríguez<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A Phase 2b Multi-Center, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study, Evaluating Efficacy and Safety of Allocetra-OTS in Patients With Severe or Critical COVID-19 With Associated Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: ALLOCETRA-OTS;   Other: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Enlivex Therapeutics Ltd.<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>Cerebral Autoregulation and COVID-19</strong> - <b>Conditions</b>:   COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome;   COVID-19 Pneumonia<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Other: NIRS (Near-Infrared Spectroscopy)<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   University of Athens<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>TRIM28 regulates SARS-CoV-2 cell entry by targeting ACE2</strong> - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of coronavirus disease 2019, it binds to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to enter into human cells. The expression level of ACE2 potentially determine the susceptibility and severity of COVID-19, it is thus of importance to understand the regulatory mechanism of ACE2 expression. Tripartite motif containing 28 (TRIM28) is known to be involved in multiple processes including antiviral restriction, endogenous…</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>From Cancer to COVID-19: A Perspective on Targeting Heparan Sulfate-Protein Interactions</strong> - Heparan sulfate (HS) is a complex, polyanionic polysaccharide ubiquitously expressed on cell surfaces and in the extracellular matrix. HS interacts with numerous proteins to mediate a vast array of biological and pathological processes. Inhibition of HS-protein interactions is thus an attractive approach for new therapeutic development for cancer and infectious diseases, including COVID-19; however, synthesis of well-defined native HS oligosaccharides remains challenging. This has aroused…</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>Activation of mTORC1 at late endosomes misdirects T cell fate decision in older individuals</strong> - The nutrient-sensing mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is integral to cell fate decisions after T cell activation. Sustained mTORC1 activity favors the generation of terminally differentiated effector T cells instead of follicular helper and memory T cells. This is particularly pertinent for T cell responses of older adults who have sustained mTORC1 activation despite dysfunctional lysosomes. Here, we show that lysosome-deficient T cells rely on late endosomes rather than lysosomes as an…</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>Fear in the Chinese Population: Influential Patterns in the Early Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic</strong> - Major global public health emergencies challenge public mental health. Negative emotions, and especially fear, may endanger social stability. To better cope with epidemics and pandemics, early emotional guidance should be provided based on an understanding of the status of public emotions in the given circumstances. From January 27 to February 11, 2020 (during which the cases of COVID-19 were increasing), a national online survey of the Chinese public was conducted. A total of 132,482…</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>An ACE2 Triple Decoy that neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 shows enhanced affinity for virus variants</strong> - The SARS-CoV-2 variants replacing the first wave strain pose an increased threat by their potential ability to escape pre-existing humoral protection. An angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) decoy that competes with endogenous ACE2 for binding of the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor binding domain (S RBD) and inhibits infection may offer a therapeutic option with sustained efficacy against variants. Here, we used Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation to predict ACE2 sequence substitutions that might…</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>Melatonin and other indoles show antiviral activities against swine Coronaviruses in vitro at pharmacological concentrations</strong> - The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), highlights major gaps in our knowledge on the prevention control and cross-species transmission mechanisms of animal coronaviruses. Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), and porcine delta-coronavirus (PDCoV) are three common swine coronaviruses and have similar clinical features. In absence of effective treatments, they…</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>Manipulation of the unfolded protein response: A pharmacological strategy against coronavirus infection</strong> - Coronavirus infection induces the unfolded protein response (UPR), a cellular signalling pathway composed of three branches, triggered by unfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) due to high ER load. We have used RNA sequencing and ribosome profiling to investigate holistically the transcriptional and translational response to cellular infection by murine hepatitis virus (MHV), often used as a model for the Betacoronavirus genus to which the recently emerged SARS-CoV-2 also belongs….</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>Phenolic compounds disrupt spike-mediated receptor-binding and entry of SARS-CoV-2 pseudo-virions</strong> - In the pursuit of suitable and effective solutions to SARS-CoV-2 infection, we investigated the efficacy of several phenolic compounds in controlling key cellular mechanisms involved in its infectivity. The way the SARS-CoV-2 virus infects the cell is a complex process and comprises four main stages: attachment to the cognate receptor, cellular entry, replication and cellular egress. Since, this is a multi-part process, it creates many opportunities to develop effective interventions. Targeting…</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>Laboratory testing for suspected COVID-19 vaccine-induced (immune) thrombotic thrombocytopenia</strong> - COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) represents a pandemic, and several vaccines have been produced to prevent infection and/or severe sequelae associated with SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) infection. There have been several reports of infrequent post vaccine associated thrombotic events, in particular for adenovirus-based vaccines. These have variously been termed VIPIT (vaccine-induced prothrombotic immune thrombocytopenia), VITT (vaccine-induced [immune]…</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>An in vitro antiviral activity of iodine complexes against SARS-CoV-2</strong> - Since the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic in China in late 2019, scientists are striving hard to explore non-toxic, viable anti-SARS-CoV-2 compounds or medicines. We determined In vitro anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of oral formulations (syrup and capsule)of an Iodine-complex (Renessans). First, cell cytotoxicity of Renessans on the Vero cells was determined using MTT assay. Afterwards, the antiviral activity of Renessans was determined using viral inhibition assays and TCID(50). For this, nontoxic…</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>Correction to “Synergistic Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Replication Using Disulfiram/Ebselen and Remdesivir”</strong> - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.1c00022.].</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>Potent Molecular Feature-based Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibodies as Promising Therapeutics Against SARS-CoV-2 Infection</strong> - The 2019-2020 winter was marked by the emergence of a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) related disease (COVID-19), which started in Wuhan, China. Its high human-to-human transmission ability led to a worldwide spread within few weeks and has caused substantial human loss. Mechanical antiviral control approach, drug repositioning, and use of COVID-19 convalescent plasmas (CPs) were the first line strategies utilized to mitigate the viral spread, yet insufficient. The urgent need to contain this…</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>Humoral Response after SARS-Cov-2 mRNA Vaccine in a Cohort of Hemodialysis Patients and Kidney Transplant Recipients</strong> - Background Kidney transplant recipients and patients receiving hemodialysis are immunocompromised populations that are prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination but were excluded from clinical trials of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines. Antibody titers and rates of seroconversion following vaccination are lower among patients with chronic kidney disease and those taking immunosuppressants compared with controls. Data are lacking regarding their humoral response to vaccination to prevent COVID-19. Methods…</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>Targeting highly pathogenic coronavirus-induced apoptosis reduces viral pathogenesis and disease severity</strong> - Infection by highly pathogenic coronaviruses results in substantial apoptosis. However, the physiological relevance of apoptosis in the pathogenesis of coronavirus infections is unknown. Here, with a combination of in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models, we demonstrated that protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) signaling mediated the proapoptotic signals in Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, which converged in the intrinsic apoptosis pathway….</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>Higher Levels of Harsh Parenting During the COVID-19 Lockdown in the Netherlands</strong> - Previous studies on the impact of COVID-19 indicate that pandemic-related distress increases risks for child maltreatment, although data on the scope of this problem are still scarce. Here, we assessed whether parents with toddlers (n = 206) more often used harsh discipline during the lockdown in the Netherlands compared to a matched parent sample collected prior to the pandemic (n = 1,030). Parents were matched on background characteristics using propensity score matching. We found that harsh…</p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-patent-search">From Patent Search</h1>
<ul>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>SARS-CoV-2 anti-viral therapeutic</strong> - - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=AU327160071">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>폐마스크 밀봉 회수기</strong> - 본 발명은 마스크 착용 후 버려지는 일회용 폐마스크를 비닐봉지에 넣은 후 밀봉하여 배출함으로써, 2차 감염을 예방하고 일반 생활폐기물과 선별 분리 배출하여 환경오염을 방지하는 데 그 목적이 있다. - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=KR325788342">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>COST EFFECTIVE PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR FOR COVID-19</strong> - - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=AU324964715">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>METHOD OF IDENTIFYING SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME CORONA VIRUS 2 (SARS-COV-2) RIBONUCLEIC ACID (RNA)</strong> - - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=AU323956811">link</a></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Erweiterbare Desinfektionsvorrichtung</strong> -
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
</p><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">Erweiterbare Desinfektionsvorrichtung, umfassend: einen Hauptkörper, der eine umgekehrt U-förmige Basisplatte aufweist, wobei die umgekehrt U-förmige Basisplatte mit einer Öffnung versehen ist und jeweils eine Seitenplatte sich von zwei Seiten der umgekehrt U-förmigen Basisplatte nach außen erstreckt; und mindestens eine Desinfektionslampe, die in den auf zwei Seiten des Hauptkörpers befindlichen Seitenplatten angeordnet ist und eine Lichtemissionseinheit, eine Erfassungseinheit, eine Steuereinheit und eine Stromversorgungseinheit umfasst.</p></li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=DE326402480">link</a></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Einfache Sterilisationsvorrichtung</strong> -
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
</p><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">Einfache Sterilisationsvorrichtung, mit einem Hauptkörper (11), der in Längsrichtung einen ersten Plattenabschnitt (111) und in Querrichtung einen zweiten Plattenabschnitt (112) aufweist, wobei der erste Plattenabschnitt (111) und der zweite Plattenabschnitt (112) L-förmig miteinander verbunden sind; und einer Sterilisationslampe (12), die an dem Hauptkörper (11) angeordnet ist und eine Lichtemissionseinheit (121), eine Sensoreinheit (122), eine Steuereinheit (123) und eine Stromeinheit (124) aufweist.</p></li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=DE326402479">link</a></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Klemmarme aufweisende Desinfektionsvorrichtung</strong> -
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
</p><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">Klemmarme aufweisende Desinfektionsvorrichtung, umfassend: einen Hauptkörper; eine Desinfektionslampe, die im Hauptkörper angeordnet ist und eine Lichtemissionseinheit, eine Erfassungseinheit, eine Steuereinheit und eine Stromversorgungseinheit umfasst; einen Klemmabschnitt, der auf einer Seite des Hauptkörpers angeordnet ist, wobei der Klemmabschnitt zwei gegenüberliegende Greifbacken umfasst, wobei mindestens eine der beiden Greifbacken mit einer Schwenkachse versehen ist, wobei ein Klemmraum durch passgenaues Schließen der beiden Greifbacken entsteht und die beiden Greifbacken jeweils mit einem Durchgangsloch versehen sind; einen Befestigungsabschnitt, der durch die Durchgangslöcher der beiden Greifbacken hindurchgeführt ist;und ein Schild, das auf einer Seite des Klemmabschnitts angeordnet und mit einem Aufnahmeloch versehen ist.</p></li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=DE326402478">link</a></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Aufhängbare Sterilisationsvorrichtung</strong> -
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
</p><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">Aufhängbare Sterilisationsvorrichtung, mit einem Hauptkörper (11); einer Sterilisationslampe (12), die an dem Hauptkörper (11) angeordnet ist und eine Lichtemissionseinheit (121), eine Sensoreinheit (122), eine Steuereinheit (123) und eine Stromeinheit (124) aufweist; einem Klemmabschnitt (13), der an einer Seite des Hautpkörpers (11) angeordnet ist und zwei gegenüberliegend angeordnete Klemmbacken (131) aufweist, wobei mindestens eine der beiden Klemmbacken (131) mit einem Achsbolzen (132) versehen ist, wobei die beiden Klemmbacken (131) beim Schließen einen Klemmraum (134) bilden, und wobei die beiden Klemmbacken (131) jeweils mit einem Durchgangsloch (135) versehen sind; und einem Befestigungselement (14), das durch die Durchgangslöcher (135) der beiden Klemmbacken (131) hindurchgeführt wird.</p></li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=DE326402477">link</a></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Sterilisationsvorrichtung zur Verbesserung der Desinfektionswirkung</strong> -
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
</p><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">Sterilisationsvorrichtung zur Verbesserung der Desinfektionswirkung, umfassend: einen Hauptkörper, der eine erste Oberfläche, eine von der ersten Oberfläche abgewandte zweite Oberfläche und ein Aufnahmeloch aufweist, wobei die zwei Seiten des Hauptkörpers jeweils mit einem Durchgangsloch versehen sind, wobei die Durchgangslöcher mit dem Aufnahmeloch durchgängig verbunden sind; eine Desinfektionslampe, die auf der zweiten Oberfläche des Hauptkörpers angeordnet ist und eine Lichtemissionseinheit, eine Erfassungseinheit, eine Steuereinheit und eine Stromversorgungseinheit umfasst; und ein Befestigungsteil, das durch die Durchgangslöcher und das Aufnahmeloch des Hauptkörpers hindurchgeführt ist.</p></li>
</ul>
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<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=DE326402481">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>IMPROVEMENTS RELATED TO PARTICLE, INCLUDING SARS-CoV-2, DETECTION AND METHODS THEREFOR</strong> - - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=AU323295937">link</a></p></li>
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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>Can Biden Reverse Trump’s Damage to the State Department?</strong> - Reeling from the leadership of Rex Tillerson and Mike Pompeo, career officials wonder whether Secretary of State Antony Blinken can revitalize American diplomacy. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/can-biden-reverse-trumps-damage-to-the-state-department">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Iran Moves Toward a One-Party State</strong> - The Supreme Leader is willing to risk the legitimacy of an election to consolidate monolithic hard-line control. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/iran-moves-toward-a-one-party-state">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The High Cost of Biden’s Meeting with Putin</strong> - To Biden, illusions are a hazard in foreign policy; to Putin, they are its currency. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-high-cost-of-bidens-meeting-with-putin">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>What Is Going On at Yale Law School?</strong> - The prestigious institution has tied itself in knots over a dispute involving one of its most popular—and controversial—professors, Amy Chua. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-education/what-is-going-on-at-yale-law-school">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>How a Conservative Activist Invented the Conflict Over Critical Race Theory</strong> - To Christopher Rufo, a term for a school of legal scholarship looked like “the perfect weapon.” - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-inquiry/how-a-conservative-activist-invented-the-conflict-over-critical-race-theory">link</a></p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-vox">From Vox</h1>
<ul>
<li><strong>One Good Thing: These dark detective novels are really about ethics and hope</strong> -
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TvHpqdpY8cPAaB-ILFBXrw_piQM=/456x0:5345x3667/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69477866/GettyImages_987886130.0.jpg"/>
<figcaption>
The Abbaye du Saint Benoit du Lac in Quebec, one of the inspirations for the settings in Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache mystery series. | Walter Bibikow/Getty Images
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Can fiction about police be healing in 2021? Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache books make a very good case.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="JhKU0o">
I discovered <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516588&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Flists%2Fthe-louise-penny-list&amp;referrer=vox.com&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vox.com%2F22533094%2Finspector-gamache-louise-penny-cozy-series-mystery-novels" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache series of novels</a> (also known as the Three Pines series) the way a proper detective might: by ransacking Goodreads lists and analyzing the ratings of all the cozy mysteries I could find, to see if any of those quirkily wholesome stories of small-town murder ranked higher than Agatha Christie.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="ugOOHA">
I reasoned that if Goodreads users could agree on the merit of any mystery writer, it would be Christie. (The site is notorious for its vicious and finicky readers who downvote books for the pettiest of reasons.) Therefore any title in the genre that had lots of Goodreads entries and a reader rating that was as high or higher than that of, say, <em>And Then There Were None</em> would be worth digging into.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="JPMkNZ">
Turns out, Penny’s series is not only a Goodreads hit, but has proven so popular she’s churned out <a href="https://www.fantasticfiction.com/p/louise-penny/chief-inspector-gamache/">a total</a> of 16 volumes<strong> </strong>since publishing the first, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/338691.Still_Life"><em>Still Life</em></a>, in 2005; the 17th, <em>The Madness of Crowds</em>, will come out in August. The books have also won an <a href="https://www.fictiondb.com/author/louise-penny~book-awards~40339.htm">absolute mountain</a> of awards — including the Agatha Award, presented to literary cozies — <a href="https://www.minlib.net/booklists/award-winners/agatha">seven times</a>.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="t899UK">
Conceptually, Inspector Gamache sounds like the last kind of story to go head to head with anything by the grand dame of murder. To start, it’s Canadian, and we all know the darkest crime a Canadian ever committed was creating Tim Hortons. (I kid!)
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="xjvrRg">
The books are also difficult to easily categorize. They balance many of the most comforting elements of cozy mysteries with many of the bleakest and most haunting elements of gritty modern noir or criminal procedurals. Yet even when they’re dealing with modern issues like PTSD, drug addiction, systemic racism, and police corruption, they’re all undercut with a highbrow literary bent and a thoroughly humanitarian, nigh-spiritual worldview. Hardly the stuff of the average mystery novel.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="seTTY5">
People <em>love</em> them. And now, having spent the last month blazing through the first nine books, I see why.
</p>
<h3 id="Cc8U3z">
Louise Penny has perfected the literary genre hybrid
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="y9AUOy">
The Inspector Gamache series takes place in an idyllic small town in Canada called Three Pines. The quirky circle of artists and brigands who reside there frequently compare Three Pines to Brigadoon because it’s not on any map and seems to appear out of the mist only to wandering souls in need of its comforting sense of community. How they feel about its astronomical death rate is another matter.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="2PFNvT">
One of the souls who seems to need Three Pines most is our hero, Inspector Gamache, a gentle Quebecois police inspector battling internal corruption. As chief inspector of the Sûreté du Quebec, Gamache culls deep devotion from his officers as well as other beat cops who know him only by reputation. Thanks to the ongoing fallout of a complex scandal involving police brutality against a poor Indigenous community, however, most of his superiors on the force hate him.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="rZcR5n">
Every book in the series thus runs on two parallel tracks: the slow train of Gamache’s meandering route through solving the particulars of that book’s specific murder case, and the bullet train of navigating the intricate political intrigues of his own police department.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Ton280">
This structure allows Penny to layer two different mystery genres — the traditional cozy and the crime thriller — atop one another. The concept of the cozy mystery forms something of a paradox: stories about murder, death, and despair wrapped in a comforting bubble of familiarity, community, warm-hearted main characters, and often a sense of high-spirited fun. If the genre itself forms a paradox, then the Inspector Gamache books form one more. They’re a Schroedinger’s box of <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/louise-pennys-a-trick-of-the-light-a-cozy-mystery/2011/08/29/gIQADq5I2J_story.html">yes, they’re definitely cozies</a> and <a href="https://cozy-mystery.com/blog/louise-penny-chief-inspector-gamache-mystery-series.html">no, they’re definitely not</a>, with a lot of <a href="https://www.macleans.ca/culture/books/more-than-cozy-louise-pennys-small-town-murder-mysteries/">okay, fine, they are, but they’re also so much more</a>.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="KzJdA2">
I find that Inspector Gamache books frequently wriggle away from association with the cozy genre — though I have to note my favorite book in the series so far, <em>A Trick of the Light</em> (book six) is also the coziest of the lot. Overall, though, I agree with the Washington Post’s assessment that they form a wonderful literary hybrid, with an emphasis on literary.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="L6XA4L">
That’s because in addition to observing most of the conventions of the cozy genre, the books are also twisty, multilayered, and sweeping, with story arcs stretching across volumes and involving dozens of characters. Each novel is only partly fixated on crime and equally fixated on various cultural and historical themes, from Canadian revolutionary exploits to Quebecois culture clashes to art and music history.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="cl1TNi">
The books also feel somewhat documentarian, often borrowing real events and settings. Each novel features multiple places reportedly based on <a href="https://www.easterntownships.org/tourist-routes/12/three-pines-inspirations-map-louise-penny">real-life locations</a> around rural Quebec. Interwoven through the entire series are recurring snatches of actual real poems, most written by Margaret Atwood, but presented in the story as coming from the mind of one illustrious fictional poet. One line, <a href="https://www.kittlingbooks.com/2013/09/poisoned-pen-with-louise-penny.html">reportedly</a> written by the self-published poet Marylyn Plessner, serves as an idée fixe for the entire series and its commitment to showing grace to the wounded: “Who hurt you once, so far beyond repair, that you would greet each overture with curling lip?”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="1Q6ZOm">
These details keep the books rooted in the real — an achievement, given that they’re also playing with tropes and settings that have a deliberately mystical vibe and often verge into the wildly over-the-top. Everything about Three Pines ticks the Quaint Small Town bingo card: There’s the cute B&amp;B and bistro run by the equally cute gay couple who, like their neighbor the quirky bookshop owner, stumbled upon the town one day by accident and never left. They’re joined by the resident town drunk, an aging, foul-mouthed troll who hates everyone, secretly yearns for love, and … was also the poet laureate of Canada. That’s Ruth Zardo, one of the most vivid characters I’ve ever read and absolutely one of the best reasons to devour every book in this series.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="97OaIj">
At the center of this motley crew we have Clara, a perpetually harried struggling artist whose biggest roadblock to professional success may be her own jealous and resentful husband. Watching her figure this out over the course of the series as she gradually comes into her own may be one of the other best reasons to check out the series.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="EVtEcR">
On Inspector Gamache’s own team, far removed from Three Pines and embroiled in the political drama of the Sûreté, we have mostly doggedly loyal officers, comforting and faithful — except for one. The insubordinate agent, Yvette Nicole, is almost impossible to take seriously as a character because her narcissism, overconfidence, and non-neurotypical social processing give her such an intense personality. But Penny has the great gift of empathizing with all her characters, and that makes Nicole in particular irresistible. She’s an obnoxious, completely unpredictable weapon in Gamache’s arsenal, and yet another reason to seek out the series.
</p>
<h3 id="t67ets">
At their core, these books are about hope and community
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="3ThzCj">
You may have noticed I’ve said very little about murder, and that’s because there’s so much more going on in this series than murder. I’ve found the actual book-by-book murder plots and their resolutions to be very hit-or-miss — but even when Penny’s episodic tales are a bit unwieldy, her ongoing narrative, and the twists and sheer drama she culls from it, are truly operatic in scale and achievement. The books so far divide into two separate but linked narrative arcs — books 1 to 3 and books 4 to 9 — and that’s a lot of reading, a lot of plot to keep straight, and a huge amount of build-up to a climax. But in both arcs, the climaxes are deliciously dramatic, with giant consequences, huge plot twists, and some absolutely brilliant, deeply satisfying sleights of hand.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="RB4VWq">
(Also of note: So far, I have experienced this series via its fantastic audiobooks, the first 10 of which are narrated with exquisite craft and care by the late <a href="https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/narrators/ralph-cosham/">Ralph Cosham</a>. Cosham’s precise Quebecois pronunciation is a gift, and he inhabits the titular Inspector Gamache and many of the series’ other characters so fully he all but becomes them. If you want to binge the series, I can’t recommend the audio production enough.)
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="xx3a95">
That’s not to say the series isn’t without flaws. Over 17 volumes, there’s a lot of repetition for newcomers and the reader who’s forgotten what happened in the last book, so if you binge them, you may get tired of hearing some details over and over. One ongoing plot involving a character’s painkiller addiction nearly stretches all credulity and resolves with total absurdity. And there’s a refrain of unconscious but omnipresent fat-shaming for many, many characters, particularly the series’ only Black character, Myrna the bookstore owner, who’s perpetually characterized through her fatness.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="f1eyEI">
Yet there’s a reason these books have won such critical acclaim. Even with some obvious flaws, Penny’s writing excels in its depth of characterization, scope of plotting, and commitment to serializing story arcs over the course of multiple books, and above all the heart at the center of each book.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="xdUXnn">
We might say that heart is Inspector Gamache himself. In a moment when defunding and abolishing the police are central to every discussion of how to fix a broken justice system here in America, the last thing I expected when I read the first volume was to become obsessed with a series about a Canadian cop. But Penny, through Gamache, perpetually asks how policing can be both ethical and kind, and how a broken and corrupt justice system might be rebuilt around these principles. Gamache may be an unrealistically idealized version of a police officer — he doesn’t even carry a weapon during the daily course of his job — but he is a welcome one. Genteel and literate, Gamache uses a form of soft power as his primary offense. He’s dedicated to listening and learning, gaining the trust of fellow officers and suspects, rather than leading through shows of force or bullying his way toward a predetermined outcome.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="CdWyRz">
The image of a cop who constantly keeps himself and his considerable power in check, in favor of doing community outreach and bonding with suspects, feels almost unfairly flattering as a portrait of policing in 2021. But if Gamache is ethical and kind, the Sûreté itself is not, and Penny always reminds us the system itself is broken.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="TpVJXS">
Broken, but not irredeemable. In Penny’s universe, almost no one is beyond redemption or past hope of forgiveness, especially if they’re part of a community that’s chosen love and forgiveness as its guiding principle. That idea, too, feels like a rare luxury in a culture where our sins are increasingly preserved for all time and added to an ever-growing tally of reasons for others to judge us (or cancel us) at will.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="T5Br9q">
It’s also why, when a writer like Penny comes along, you might find yourself clinging to them — perhaps as a reminder that you yourself are not beyond hope.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="5HYhxZ">
<em>You can find the </em><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516588&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Flists%2Fthe-louise-penny-list&amp;referrer=vox.com&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vox.com%2F22533094%2Finspector-gamache-louise-penny-cozy-series-mystery-novels" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><em>Inspector Gamache</em></a><em> books, beginning with </em><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516588&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Fbooks%2Fstill-life-a-chief-inspector-gamache-novel%2F9780312541538&amp;referrer=vox.com&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vox.com%2F22533094%2Finspector-gamache-louise-penny-cozy-series-mystery-novels" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Still Life</a><em>, at your local library or wherever books are sold. To listen to the audiobooks, check out Audible, Amazon, or your favorite audiobook merchant.</em>
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="estjfL">
<em>For more recommendations from the world of culture, check out the </em><a href="https://www.vox.com/one-good-thing"><em>One Good Thing</em></a><em> archives.</em>
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Vavw1K">
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="yNxaV7">
</p></li>
<li><strong>Abortion rights, Joe Biden, and communion: the controversy, explained</strong> -
<figure>
<img alt="Joe Biden Marks His Inauguration With Full Day Of Events" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dB3tNw5ImA5TyVq9Ky63CSGh6Ic=/208x0:3532x2493/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69476579/1297420254.0.jpg"/>
<figcaption>
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden attend services at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle with Congressional leaders prior to his inauguration ceremony on January 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
US Catholic leadership is divided on how to approach pro-choice Catholic politicians.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="SCGxsb">
In a break from the Vatican and past policy, the American arm of the Roman Catholic Church this week kicked off a process that could eventually sanction the exclusion of President Joe Biden, the nation’s second Catholic president, from receiving holy communion.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="ZmvcsU">
On Thursday, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which consists of all Catholic bishops in the US and the US Virgin Islands, voted overwhelmingly to <a href="https://www.usccb.org/news/2021/us-bishops-approve-action-items-their-agenda-spring-general-assembly">draft</a> “a formal statement on the meaning of the Eucharist in the life of the Church” that would clarify church policy on the topic — at least in the US. If approved, such a statement could allow individual bishops to prevent Catholic politicians who disagree with church doctrine about abortion from receiving the sacrament of the Eucharist, a sacred rite in Catholicism.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="D7iASH">
It’s a change that has been pushed by conservative bishops with renewed fervor in recent months, following Biden’s victory over former President Donald Trump, and appears to specifically target Biden, who is vocal about his Catholic faith, and whose personal views on abortion have been subject to question throughout his <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-campaign-abortion-biden-ryan-debate/catholics-ryan-biden-disagree-over-abortion-rights-idINDEE89B04C20121012">time as vice president</a> and while campaigning in 2020 for the Oval Office.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="fyYZEW">
Thursday’s vote also reflects an internal divide among US church leadership over how involved the religious institution should be in political life. If the conference does produce a statement opposing sacraments for pro-choice politicians, it would be a sharp departure from past non-responses to politicians who have gone against church teachings on other issues, such as the death penalty. And it would diverge from the teachings of Pope Francis, head. of the Catholic Church, who has <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/20/world/europe/pope-bluntly-faults-churchs-focus-on-gays-and-abortion.html">called for the church</a> to be a “home for all,” rather than overly focusing on a handful of social issues.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="0Tizsl">
Biden, 78, is an observant Catholic who regularly attends Mass — including in Cornwall, England, during the <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/u-k-churchgoers-stunned-bidens-join-them-sunday-service-n1270608">recent G7 summit</a> — and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-catholic-bishops/2021/06/18/acf576c0-d04a-11eb-a7f1-52b8870bef7c_story.html">reportedly considered</a> entering the priesthood at multiple points in his life.
</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="BRITAIN-G7-SUMMIT" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QjSbNqj0O_JNRO-toamWdFA3Rvs=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22669020/1233424320.jpg"/> <cite>BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>
President Joe Biden leaves church after attending mass in St Ives, Cornwall during the G7 summit on June 13, 2021.
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="n6EdmO">
But his pro-choice stance on abortion stands in stark contrast to that of the Catholic Church, and especially that of conservative Catholic leaders in the US, who place particular focus on the issue.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="bUR0FY">
<a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/06/17/us-bishops-conference-eucharist-vote-communion-biden-240890">According to the Jesuit magazine <em>America</em></a>, Kansas City Archbishop Joseph Naumann, who leads an anti-abortion committee in the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, cited public figures who “love to describe themselves as devout Catholics” while nonetheless supporting abortion rights, as a reason for his vote to draft the statement.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="DEt5fI">
In May, Naumann also <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2021/05/25/catholic-bishops-biden-communion-abortion-francis/">told Washington Post religion reporter Michelle Boorstein</a> that such a statement is particularly urgent now because of a “different climate” on abortion rights in the US.
</p>
<div id="H8Nv2B">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" dir="ltr" lang="en">
I spoke to Archbishop Joseph Naumann, leader of the US bishops’ pro-life committee and one of the men pressing for the vote. He noted the bishops took a similar vote in 2004, but said the new effort is urgent because of what he calls a “different climate” on abortion. 2/7
</p>
— Michelle Boorstein (<span class="citation" data-cites="mboorstein">@mboorstein</span>) <a href="https://twitter.com/mboorstein/status/1397511926951907328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2021</a>
</blockquote></div></li>
</ul>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="gSHAaL">
Other Catholic leaders, such as Bishop Liam Cary, have been <a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/06/17/us-bishops-conference-eucharist-vote-communion-biden-240890">even more explicit</a> about their focus on Biden: “It seems to me this is an unprecedented situation in the country,” Cary said, according to <em>America Magazine</em>. “We’ve never had a situation like this where the executive is a Catholic president who is opposed to the teaching of the church.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="s4ssbS">
The results of the vote were released on Friday, and the measure was approved by a wide margin, with 168 US bishops <a href="https://www.usccb.org/news/2021/us-bishops-approve-action-items-their-agenda-spring-general-assembly">voting in favor</a> and just 55 opposing. Six members of the conference abstained from the vote.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="2mXDHk">
However, many steps remain before the church takes any action that could affect Biden’s ability to receive the sacrament, and the result may ultimately be more symbolic than anything. For one, the statement has yet to be drafted, much less approved (that requires a two-thirds majority from the same conference), and the Vatican will likely also have to approve the statement first. (Francis has <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/19/world/europe/pope-francis-vatican.html">remained silent</a> about this week’s vote.)
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="4x7lkF">
Consequently, there’s no guarantee that the statement will go as far as some conservative bishops hope in emphasizing that pro-choice politicians should be banned from receiving communion, even if one is approved — and as <em>America Magazine</em> writer Michael J. O’Loughlin <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeOLoughlin/status/1405177395339014164?s=20">pointed out on Twitter</a> Friday, the conference doesn’t have the ability to ban Biden from receiving communion outright in any case.
</p>
<div id="ciS4km">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" dir="ltr" lang="en">
But ultimately, the decision on who can receive Communion rests with an individual bishop, not a bishops conference. There will not and cannot be a vote by the bishops conference on whether an individual believer is able to receive Communion. 6/
</p>
— Michael J. O’Loughlin (<span class="citation" data-cites="MikeOLoughlin">@MikeOLoughlin</span>) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeOLoughlin/status/1405177395339014164?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2021</a>
</blockquote>
</div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="guJzAw">
According to O’Loughlin:
</p>
<blockquote>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="q8EY1U">
Some Catholic conservatives, including some bishops, want to include a section in the proposed future statement about public figures who disagree on church teaching, especially on abortion, and reiterate that their position bars them from Communion. … But ultimately, the decision on who can receive Communion rests with an individual bishop, not a bishops conference. There will not and cannot be a vote by the bishops conference on whether an individual believer is able to receive Communion.
</p>
</blockquote>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="3DOin2">
Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the archbishop for Washington, DC, has <a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2020/11/24/cardinal-wilton-gregory-joe-biden-communion-dialogue">said</a> categorically that he will not block Biden from receiving communion.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="YDMBAu">
It’s not unprecedented for an individual bishop to weigh in on whether a political figure should receive communion. In 2008, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna24359892">according to the AP</a>, New York Cardinal Edward Egan condemned former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s decision to receive communion during a papal visit to the city because of Giuliani’s support for abortion rights. However, this week’s vote could lead to a much broader rebuke of Catholics who go against church doctrine on abortion.
</p>
<h3 id="FFBdwb">
Catholic Democrats are already pushing back on the vote — and public opinion is against it as well
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="cZJvCx">
Although it is not yet certain what the final statement could end up looking like, nearly 60 Catholic Democrats have pushed back on the conference’s decision. In a “<a href="https://delauro.house.gov/sites/delauro.house.gov/files/documents/Statement%20of%20Principles%206.18.21.pdf">Statement of Principles</a>,” the lawmakers wrote that “the Sacrament of Holy Communion is central to the life of practicing Catholics, and the weaponization of the Eucharist to Democratic lawmakers for their support of a woman’s safe and legal access to abortion is contradictory.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="lL6eIE">
“We solemnly urge you to not move forward and deny this most holy of all sacraments, the source and the summit of the whole work of the gospel over one issue,” reads the statement, signed by prominent progressive Catholic lawmakers, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and released Friday.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="AsGwBe">
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), who joined the formal statement, also condemned the conference’s decision in harsher language on Twitter.<strong> </strong>On Friday, he called the bishops’ conference “hypocrites,” and in a <a href="https://twitter.com/tedlieu/status/1406059092951453697">series</a> of <a href="https://twitter.com/tedlieu/status/1406160913678303237">posts</a> has pointed out that other Catholics have not been denied sacraments for going against church teachings on other matters, such as divorce, contraception use, and supporting the death penalty.
</p>
<div id="uTJGAq">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" dir="ltr" lang="en">
Dear <a href="https://twitter.com/USCCB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"><span class="citation" data-cites="USCCB">@USCCB</span></a>: I’m Catholic and you are hypocrites. You did not tell Bill Barr, a Catholic, not to take communion when he expanded killing human beings with the death penalty. You are being nakedly partisan and you should be ashamed. Another reason you are losing membership. <a href="https://t.co/kpIYRolnHD">https://t.co/kpIYRolnHD</a>
</p>
— Ted Lieu (<span class="citation" data-cites="tedlieu">@tedlieu</span>) <a href="https://twitter.com/tedlieu/status/1405967402894958596?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2021</a>
</blockquote>
</div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="zqJl9Y">
All told, there are more than 150 Catholic members of Congress, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who did not join Friday’s statement. Catholics <a href="https://www.rollcall.com/2021/01/01/catholics-rise-prominence-religion-congress/">hold 29 percent of seats</a> in Congress — making it the most-represented religious denomination in the body. Of those members, <a href="https://twitter.com/daveweigel/status/1405969670545551365?s=20">according to the Washington Post’s Dave Weigel</a>, 91 are Democrats and 67 are Republicans.
</p>
<div id="XwPkiZ">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" dir="ltr" lang="en">
Obviously Biden should be the focus of these stories, but the Speaker of the House and most Catholic members of Congress would be denied communion if this advances. (91 Catholic Dems in Congress, 67 Republicans.) <a href="https://t.co/ARKn3dA2Py">https://t.co/ARKn3dA2Py</a>
</p>
— Dave Weigel (<span class="citation" data-cites="daveweigel">@daveweigel</span>) <a href="https://twitter.com/daveweigel/status/1405969670545551365?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2021</a>
</blockquote>
</div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="ZhTz59">
And while the motion to draft a statement was approved easily by the conference of bishops this week, polling suggests that Friday’s statement by Catholic lawmakers is more in line with the views of American Catholics writ large.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="NzjwjM">
According to a <a href="https://www.pewforum.org/2021/03/30/most-democrats-and-republicans-know-biden-is-catholic-but-they-differ-sharply-about-how-religious-he-is/">recent survey</a> by the Pew Research Center, a sizable majority of US Catholics — about 67 percent — believe that Biden should still be allowed to receive communion regardless of his views on abortion, while just 29 percent say he should be denied.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="4vY0OX">
The question breaks along sharply partisan lines, with 87 percent of Catholic Democrats supporting Biden’s ability to receive communion and a smaller majority of Catholic Republicans opposing.
</p>
<div id="O0cZPh">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" dir="ltr" lang="en">
I see a lot of conservatives gloating about this but I think telling observant Catholic liberals and Democrats they’re not wanted or welcome in the Church is not going to work out the way they seem to think it will. <a href="https://t.co/lcZtivvraq">https://t.co/lcZtivvraq</a>
</p>
— Adam Serwer (<span class="citation" data-cites="AdamSerwer">@AdamSerwer</span>) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSerwer/status/1405967980928897029?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2021</a>
</blockquote>
</div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="lfHZbf">
Additionally, an outright majority of all US Catholics support the right to an abortion, <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/10/20/8-key-findings-about-catholics-and-abortion/">according to a 2019 Pew survey</a>. About 56 percent say it should be legal in all or most cases, while 42 percent say it should be illegal in all or most cases.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="PMSDbM">
For his part, Biden seems unworried by the conference’s move.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="TMH5BV">
“That’s a private matter, and I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Biden <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1405966299159740419?s=20">said</a> on Friday when asked by a reporter about potentially being denied communion.
</p>
<div id="NUuhpo">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" dir="ltr" lang="en">
President Biden responds to Catholic bishops potentially denying him communion for his support of abortion rights: “That’s a private matter, and I don’t think that’s going to happen.” <a href="https://t.co/R5ckSKMbkV">https://t.co/R5ckSKMbkV</a> <a href="https://t.co/7gSpwhbYWs">pic.twitter.com/7gSpwhbYWs</a>
</p>
— CBS News (<span class="citation" data-cites="CBSNews">@CBSNews</span>) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1405966299159740419?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2021</a>
</blockquote>
</div>
<h3 id="61OYVO">
Opponents of the statement are worried about politicizing the church
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="w8z16Y">
Though this week’s vote by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops is only an agreement to move forward with a draft — a long way from anything final or substantive — it’s still noteworthy for what it says about the church’s willingness to involve itself in partisan politics.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="1BaQ1D">
Were conservative bishops to succeed in blocking pro-choice politicians from receiving the Eucharist, the impact would break down along largely partisan lines and could put pressure on devout Catholics who are also pro-choice.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="azct8n">
In debating the resolution to draft a statement this week, bishops also expressed <a href="https://twitter.com/sarahmccammon/status/1405637547439558661?s=20">concern</a> that backers of the proposal had their eyes on the 2022 midterms and the 2024 presidential election and warned against “get[ting] embroiled in the political situation.”
</p>
<div id="kbT3TA">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" dir="ltr" lang="en">
“I can’t help but wonder if the years 2022 and 2024 might be part of the rush and I think we need to be careful not to get embroiled in the political situation.” ~Bishop Coerver of Lubbock, TX, worrying that bishops are rushing discussions about denying communion. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USCCB21?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USCCB21</a>
</p>
— Sarah McCammon (<span class="citation" data-cites="sarahmccammon">@sarahmccammon</span>) <a href="https://twitter.com/sarahmccammon/status/1405637547439558661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2021</a>
</blockquote>
</div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="TMTFTF">
And Bishop <a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/05/05/joe-biden-communion-eucharistic-exclusion-abortion-us-bishops-240596">Robert McElroy</a> of San Diego warned that taking steps to prevent politicians from receiving the Eucharist could damage the sanctity of the rite.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Vt6iks">
“Once we legitimate public policy-based Eucharistic exclusion as a regular part of our teaching office — and that is the road to which we are headed — we will invite all of the political animosities that so tragically divide our nation into the very heart of the Eucharistic celebration,” McElroy said, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/18/us/targeting-biden-catholic-bishops-advance-controversial-communion-plan.html?action=click&amp;module=Spotlight&amp;pgtype=Homepage">according to the New York Times</a>. “That sacrament which seeks to make us one will become for millions of Catholics a sign of division.”
</p>
<h3 id="fCRJXw">
Many US bishops aren’t on the same page as the Vatican
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="XWxACz">
Thursday’s vote by the bishops’ conference is also notable for at least one other reason: It marks a split from the Vatican, which has previously warned American bishops against taking such a step — and it reflects a peculiarly American focus on abortion rights above other matters of church doctrine. It also diverges from statements from Pope Francis, the organization’s head, who has advised against overemphasizing social issues at the expense of other matters of morality and justice.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="wm9gTW">
“It is not necessary to talk about these [social] issues all the time,” Francis said in a 2013 interview with <em>America</em>, referring to same-sex marriage, abortion, and contraception.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="D1E5HW">
In May, Cardinal Luis Ladaria, who heads the Catholic Church’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith — an international body, seated in Rome — specifically <a href="https://www.catholicnews.com/cardinal-ladaria-cautions-us-bishops-on-politicians-and-communion/">cautioned</a> Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez, the current president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, against attempting to implement national policy without widespread support.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Pxrhbg">
Without universal agreement by US bishops, Ladaria said, the proposed statement on the Eucharist could “become a source of discord rather than unity” within the church.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="l9eJtq">
According to Catholic News Service, which obtained the letter, Ladaria also argued to Gomez that “it would be ‘misleading’ to present abortion and euthanasia as ‘the only grave matters of Catholic moral and social teaching that demand the fullest level of accountability on the part of Catholics.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="e2knOg">
Indeed, Gomez did just that in a <a href="https://www.usccb.org/news/2021/usccb-presidents-statement-inauguration-joseph-r-biden-jr-46th-president-united-states">statement</a> marking Biden’s January inauguration. “For the nation’s bishops, the continued injustice of abortion remains the ‘preeminent priority,’” he wrote at the time, though he also stressed that “preeminent does not mean ‘only.’”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="gC5tVw">
As other writers have noted, that emphasis by American Catholicism isn’t new. “Especially since the 1990s, the American Catholic Church has become increasingly identified with the religious right, emphasizing the perils of abortion and gay rights,” writes <a href="https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/02/joe-biden-catholic-social-teaching-centrism.html">UCLA Prof. Jeffrey Guhin in an article for <em>Slate</em></a>.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="BxYc3x">
However, the church also takes stances that could be seen as liberal on other issues, such as social justice and environmentalism. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/18/us/targeting-biden-catholic-bishops-advance-controversial-communion-plan.html?action=click&amp;module=Spotlight&amp;pgtype=Homepage">As the <em>New York Times</em> pointed out</a> on Friday, Biden’s Catholicism, which stems more from such liberal Christian doctrine and is “focused less on sexual politics and more on racial inequality, climate change and poverty,” aligns closely with that of Francis in many ways, despite their differing stances on abortion.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="MdBjpF">
In that sense, the strong conservative bent of the American bishops’ organization diverges from the spirit of the Vatican since Francis ascended in 2013. Previously, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/14/world/europe/biden-vatican-communion-abortion.html">according to the Times’s Jason Horowitz</a>, Pope Francis “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/10/world/europe/pope-francis-schism.html">has explicitly identified the United States as the source of opposition to his pontificate</a>,” and described it as “an honor” to be attacked by conservative American bishops. On Saturday, Francis did not comment on the week’s vote — because, as Horowitz writes in a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/19/world/europe/pope-francis-vatican.html">separate article</a>, “The divergence of the conservative American church from Francis’ agenda is now so apparent as to become unremarkable.”
</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>People keep finding late loved ones on Google Maps</strong> -
<figure>
<img alt="A Google Street View car navigates a crowded street." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/szoWAwMt9E7RaAsPeELeqWLR1d4=/265x0:3541x2457/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69475601/GettyImages_1134268823.0.jpg"/>
<figcaption>
Google uses cars to capture the panoramic images that power Street View, and sometimes, images of people. | Avalon/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Some find it comforting, some find it creepy.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="EpEMnv">
For years, Google Maps has offered Street View, which stitches together panoramic camera images to recreate a digital facsimile of physical spaces in the real world that you can explore online. Some people are discovering that if they scroll through the platform long enough and <a href="https://blog.google/products/maps/go-back-in-time-with-street-view/">use a time travel feature</a>, they just might find the image of a late loved one captured by one of Google’s cameras — and seemingly saved in Google Maps forever.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="JQeJky">
In the past few days, several posts announcing these discoveries have gone viral. One from UK-based writer Sherri Turner has already racked up tens of thousands of<strong> </strong>“Likes” on Twitter. A similar tweet from an <a href="https://twitter.com/fesshole/status/1405169551092948994">anonymous confessions account</a> also attracted attention from not only other Twitter users but also major <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-57511055">media</a> <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/google-maps-street-view-captures-image-late-family-members-fesshole-tweets-1601606">outlets</a>. The tweets have turned into threads where others share stories of looking for their deceased relatives in Google Maps.
</p>
<div id="UgWW4s">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" dir="ltr" lang="en">
I look at my mum’s old house on Google maps street view, the house where I grew up. It says ‘Image captured May 2009’. There is a light on in her bedroom. It is still her house, she is still alive, I am still visiting every few months on the train to Bodmin Parkway,
</p>
— Sherri Turner (<span class="citation" data-cites="STurner4077">@STurner4077</span>) <a href="https://twitter.com/STurner4077/status/1405152351112077317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2021</a>
</blockquote></div></li>
</ul>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="u1C0QS">
This is hardly the first time people have used the time travel feature in Street View to go searching for the departed on Google Maps — or to share the experience on social media. Google released Street View in 2007, and these types of viral Twitter posts have been happening <a href="https://twitter.com/r13639/status/392432114991239168">since at least 2013</a>. The trend points to an enduring pattern of Google forging ahead in its endless quest to map the entire world (Street View currently includes 87 countries) and constantly update that data. Somewhere along the way, Google Maps users are realizing this process has unintended consequences.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Dnj1vF">
This effect suggests that the creation of these 360-degree views of the world requires momentary surveillance. Google Maps uses lots and lots of cameras to create the immersive experience that Street View offers. Google says the <a href="https://www.google.com/streetview/">digital recreation of the physical world</a> is powered by millions of cameras<strong> </strong>that capture multiple angles, <a href="https://www.google.com/earth/education/tools/street-view/">collected</a> by people “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FZH652qYkA">driving</a>, pedaling, sailing, and walking around and capturing imagery.” The company has also moved to allow users to <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2020/12/03/google-now-lets-anyone-contribute-to-street-view-using-ar-and-an-app/">submit their own images to supplement its own Street View</a>. While helping people remember dead family members isn’t really the intended purpose of Google Maps, a spokesperson told Recode it was “heartwarming” people were using the platform in this way.
</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A person has a bicycle on a street in Brooklyn, which is recorded by Google’s Street View" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8O8UdSHZRx48c7W_ReAAVPVzkXw=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22665945/Screen_Shot_2021_06_17_at_4.24.37_PM.png"/> <cite>Google Maps</cite>
<figcaption>
The time travel feature in Street View lets you compare present images to images that were captured as far back as 2007.
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="ENARpV">
Turner, the writer, told Recode she discovered the time travel feature in Street View earlier this week, when she was trying to see what a house that belonged to her late mother, who passed away nearly four years ago, looked like now. She ended up finding that the last available image on Street View was from 2009. It showed the house with a light on, which told Turner that her mother was home when the image was captured. “That makes it a little bit more something that you feel like you’ve stumbled across rather than something you’ve made happen,” she told Recode.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="sKsRqQ">
Again, people have been discovering images of late loved ones on Street View for a while. It was even happening <a href="https://imgur.com/gallery/rZMM5o5">before Google introduced the time travel feature</a>. The phenomenon also drove a <a href="https://slate.com/technology/2020/01/google-street-view-deceased-loved-ones.html">whole</a> <a href="https://onezero.medium.com/searching-for-the-dead-in-google-street-view-d3cbb117f4fa">news cycle</a> last year, when one Twitter user said she’d found an image of her late grandfather on Street View. The tweet generated more than 400,000 “Likes.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="1XuQ7a">
But there’s more to the story than viral content. The images are a reminder that many people who show up in Street View don’t know their pictures are being taken, and the deceased have no say in whether or not their image remains on the service.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="BugTur">
More broadly, tech companies like Google hold much of the power over this sensitive and personal data, and citizens haven’t had a real role in setting norms for how data associated with decreased people ought to be handled. That’s especially important because Google’s approach to this data may not match up with the religious and cultural norms surrounding death practiced by many of its users across the world.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="CXrGux">
“Increasingly, the majority of our online users are going to come from global south countries,” <a href="https://isearch.asu.edu/profile/3183331">Faheem Hussain</a>, a professor at Arizona State University’s School for the Future of Innovation in Society, told Recode. “What we are increasingly seeing is the absence of [the] participation of the people in that design.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="PeQeRm">
Late family members aren’t the only surprising finds on Google Maps. There are entire <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/streetview/">online</a> <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/googlemapsshenanigans/">communities</a> devoted to exploring the mapping platform for unusual things, identifying everything from wild animals to sandstorms. There’s also a much darker side of the apparent omnipresence of Street View and Google Maps more broadly, one that raises myriad concerns about <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/woman-sues-google-exposing-her-underwear-street-view-flna125876">peoples’ privacy</a>. Back in 2013, for example, a father in California had to ask Google to remove <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/catesevilla/man-says-the-body-of-his-dead-son-can-be-see-on-google-maps">an aerial image of his son’s dead body</a>. Google says it has systems in place for blurring out personally identifying information from passersby and license plates in the photos it takes. But clearly, some people can still be identified if a family member knows what they’re looking for.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="d52XWY">
The enduring trend of finding lost loved ones inevitably serves as a reminder that Google plays a major role in documenting our daily lives over time. There’s no sign that the digital artifacts being preserved in Street View are going to go away anytime soon. Instead, they might just become part of how history is recorded in a process that we don’t necessarily have control over.
</p>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-the-hindu-sports">From The Hindu: Sports</h1>
<ul>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>WTC final | New Zealand bounces back on day three morning</strong> - Anything in the vicinity of 250 would be a good score in prevailing conditions.</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>Tokyo organisers working on safe stay and training of Indian athletes in Games Village: TOCOG</strong> - The Indian athletes and officials travelling for the Olympics have been asked by the Japanese government to undergo daily COVID-19 tests for a week prior to their departure</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>Selection in Olympics team was my late father’s dream, says Lalremsiami</strong> - The 21-year-old created history when she became the first female player from Mizoram to be picked for the Olympics.</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>Shafali Verma will be very important for us in all formats: Mithali</strong> - The India veteran also backed her English counterpart Heather Knight’s call for a five-day Test format for women’s cricket.</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>DeChambeau within reach of second straight U.S. Open</strong> - He has stuck to the same strategy he used to win at Winged Foot last year</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>Aisha Sultana appears before Kavaratti police</strong> - Filmmaker from Lakshadweep Aisha Sultana, who was served a notice by the police to appear at the Kavaratti police station for her ‘bio-weapon’ commen</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>Keel of additional Krivak class second frigate laid</strong> - Stealth ship is being built by Goa Shipyard Limited with technology transfer from Russia</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>Some trains going towards Vijayawada cancelled for safety works</strong> - The railways have cancelled some trains going from Visakhapatnam to Vijayawada, Guntur, Lingampalli and Kadapa in view of safety related modernisation</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>Facing ED probe, Sena MLA urges return to NDA fold</strong> - NCP, Congress trying to weaken Sena, MLA Pratap Sarnaik tells Uddhav</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 again alleges scam in land purchase in Ayodhya; says responsibility of SC, PM to find truth</strong> - Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that a BJP leader brought 890 metres of land in Ayodhya for ₹ 20 lakh in February and sold it to the Temple Trust for a whopping ₹ 2.5 crore, making a profit of 1250% in only 79 days.</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>Antwerp: Five construction workers killed in school building site collapse</strong> - All of the victims were construction workers who had been building the new primary school.</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>Man loses hand in clashes at banned France rave</strong> - Five police officers were hurt as police tried to break up the party in the Brittany region.</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>In pictures: 1,000 Dreams to mark World Refugee Day</strong> - Refugees across Europe set out to record the lives of those who have also fled persecution.</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>‘World’s oldest’ alligator Muja celebrates 85th birthday at Belgrade Zoo</strong> - From surviving World War Two to becoming a hit on TikTok, Belgrade Zoo star Muja has been through a lot.</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>Robert Schuman: Pope puts father of modern Europe on sainthood path</strong> - The Pope recognises the “heroic virtues” of Robert Schuman, who founded key European institutions.</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>Test out next-gen space tech in Kerbal Space Program</strong> - The rocket-building game lets you pilot a fusion-propelled craft right now. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1774406">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Archaeologists recreated three common kinds of Paleolithic cave lighting</strong> - Experiments could enhance our understanding of the origin of prehistoric art in caves. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1773827">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Two Viking burials, separated by an ocean, contain close kin</strong> - Two Viking Age warriors from the same family died hundreds of kilometers apart. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1774420">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The efforts to make text-based AI less racist and terrible</strong> - Researchers try different approaches to solve problem of amplifying negative stereotypes. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1774477">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Pornhub sued for allegedly serving “under-age, non-consensual” videos</strong> - “I seek justice for myself and the countless victims who don’t come forward.” - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1774586">link</a></p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-jokes-subreddit">From Jokes Subreddit</h1>
<ul>
<li><strong>The Bible and the Quran tell us to love each other</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The Kamasutra is more specific.
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/FatGuyInAWheelchair"> /u/FatGuyInAWheelchair </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o3s5fm/the_bible_and_the_quran_tell_us_to_love_each_other/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o3s5fm/the_bible_and_the_quran_tell_us_to_love_each_other/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><strong>As an Aussie, Americans are always asking me where in Australia there <em>isn’t</em> something trying to kill you…</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
“School” is my answer
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Genius_Mate"> /u/Genius_Mate </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o3ewd9/as_an_aussie_americans_are_always_asking_me_where/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o3ewd9/as_an_aussie_americans_are_always_asking_me_where/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><strong>A wife decides to take her husband, Dave, to a strip club for his birthday.</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
​
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
They arrive at the club and the doorman says, “Hey, Dave! How ya doin’?”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
His wife is puzzled and asks if hes been to this club before.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
“Oh no,” says Dave. “Hes on my bowling team.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
When they are seated, a waitress asks Dave if hed like his usual and brings over a Budweiser.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
His wife is becoming increasingly uncomfortable and says,“How did she know that you drink Budweiser?”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
“Shes in the Ladies Bowling League, honey. We share lanes with them.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
A stripper then comes over to their table, throws her arms around Dave, and says “Hi Davey. Want your usual table dance, big boy?”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Daves wife, now furious, grabs her purse and storms out of the club.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Dave follows and spots her getting into a cab. Before she can slam the door, he jumps in beside her.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
He tries desperately to explain how the stripper must have mistaken him for someone else, but his wife is having none of it.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
She is screaming at him at the top of her lungs, calling him every name in the book.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The cabby turns his head and says, "Looks like you picked up a real bitch tonight, Dave.
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/MrGuttor"> /u/MrGuttor </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o3yxv8/a_wife_decides_to_take_her_husband_dave_to_a/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o3yxv8/a_wife_decides_to_take_her_husband_dave_to_a/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><strong>The guy sat next to me on the train pulled out a photo of his wife and said, “She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
I said, "If you think she’s beautiful, you should see my wife!
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
He said, "Why? Is she super-hot too?
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
I said, “No, she’s an optometrist!”
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/RealTheAsh"> /u/RealTheAsh </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o43smv/the_guy_sat_next_to_me_on_the_train_pulled_out_a/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o43smv/the_guy_sat_next_to_me_on_the_train_pulled_out_a/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><strong>Success is like being pregnant.</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Everyone says congratulations, but nobody knows how many times you got fucked.
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Digital8BitBuddy"> /u/Digital8BitBuddy </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o3npio/success_is_like_being_pregnant/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o3npio/success_is_like_being_pregnant/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
</ul>
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