Surviving but not thriving: VOX and Spain in times of Covid-19 -
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+We seek to advance the understanding of how the populist radical right in Spain reacted to Covid-19 in 2020. In particular, our contribution seeks to answer three questions. First, we consider the discursive and rhetorical tools adopted by the party. Second, we analyse how VOX, as an opposition party, has sought to challenge the governing coalition and the mainstream right. Specifically, we analyse the incentives, rationale, process and consequences party’s no confidence measure brought against the governing coalition. Third, we assess to what extent the party’s electoral potential has been influenced by the pandemic by analysing the party’s performance in the polls as well as support for VOX’s leadership amongst the party’s own voter base.
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Unwillingness to Engage in Behaviors that Protect Against COVID-19: the Role of Conspiracy Beliefs, Trust, and Endorsement of Complementary and Alternative Medicine -
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+Background: We investigated if people’s response to the official recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with conspiracy beliefs related to COVID-19, a distrust in the sources providing information on COVID-19, and an endorsement of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Methods: The sample consisted of 1325 Finnish adults who filled out an online survey marketed on Facebook. Structural regression analysis was used to investigate whether: 1) conspiracy beliefs, a distrust in information sources, and endorsement of CAM predict people’s response to the non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) implemented by the government during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 2) conspiracy beliefs, a distrust in information sources, and endorsement of CAM are related to people’s willingness to take a COVID-19 vaccine. Results: Individuals with more conspiracy beliefs and a lower trust in information sources were less likely to have a positive response to the NPIs. Individuals with less trust in information sources and more endorsement of CAM were more unwilling to take a COVID-19 vaccine. Distrust in information sources was the strongest and most consistent predictor in all models. Our analyses also revealed that some of the people who respond negatively to the NPIs also have a lower likelihood to take the vaccine. This association was partly related to a lower trust in information sources. Conclusions: Distrusting the establishment to provide accurate information, believing in conspiracy theories, and endorsing treatments and substances that are not part of conventional medicine, are all associated with a more negative response to the official guidelines during COVID-19. How people respond to the guidelines, however, is more strongly and consistently related to the degree of trust they feel in the information sources, than to their tendency to hold conspiracy beliefs or endorse CAM. These findings highlight the need for governments and health authorities to create communication strategies that build public trust.
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Efficacy and safety of Guduchighan Vati in asymptomatic and mild to moderate cases of COVID-19: A randomized controlled pilot study -
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+Background: Currently, there is no approved treatment for the management of COVID-19 pandemic. Drug repurposing of existing medications could be a possible way to find out a novel therapeutic entity to combat the COVID-19. Objectives: To determine the clinical effectiveness and safety profile of an Ayurveda Intervention (Guduchighan Vati) in asymptomatic and mild to moderate cases of COVID-19. Methods: This was an open-label randomized controlled pilot study with a sample size of 30 participants (15 in each arm). The participants were asymptomatic or mild to moderate cases of COVID-19. Guduchighan Vati 500 mg twice daily for 10 days was administered in the intervention group as standalone therapy and Hydroxychloroquine in the control group. Outcome measures: Time to negative RT-PCR for COVID-19, proportion of participants turned RT-PCR negative for COVID-19 at 5th and 10th day, duration to achieve complete clinical recovery, improvement in laboratory parameters and incidence of Adverse Drug Reaction/Adverse Event. The data was compared within group using paired sample t-test/ Wilcoxon signed rank test and between group using independent sample t-test/Mann-Whitney test. The results of RT-PCR test was compared between group using chi-square test. Results: 93.3% participants turned RT-PCR negative for COVID-19 in the intervention group, as compared to 66.6% participants in control group till 10th day of the study period. However, the results are statistically insignificant (p = 0.068) which might be attributed to smaller sample size. All the symptomatic patients in the intervention group were clinically recovered at 5th day whereas 14 out of 15 recovered in the control group. No symptoms were observed at 10th day in both the groups. No adverse drug reaction/serious adverse event were observed during the study period. Conclusion: Guduchighan Vati is a safe and effective treatment for asymptomatic and mild cases of COVID-19 and it lowers the time to RT-PCR negative status without any adverse drug reaction/adverse event.
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Don’t put all social network sites in one basket: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and their relations with well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. -
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+Prior studies indicated that actively using social network sites (SNSs) is positively associated with well-being by enhancing social support and feelings of connectedness. Conversely, passively using SNSs is negatively associated with well-being by fostering upward social comparison and envy. However, the majority of these studies has focused on Facebook. The present research examined the relationships between well-being—satisfaction with life, negative affect, positive affect—and using actively or passively various SNSs—Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok—during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, two mediators were tested: social support and upward social comparison. One thousand four persons completed an online survey during the quarantine measures; the analyses employed structural equation modeling. Results showed that passive usage of Facebook is negatively related to well-being through upward social comparison, whereas active usage of Instagram is positively related to satisfaction with life and negative affect through social support. Furthermore, active usage of Twitter was positively related to satisfaction with life through social support; while passive usage was negatively related to upward social comparison, which, in turn, was associated with more negative affect. Finally, TikTok use was not associated with well-being. Results are discussed in line with SNSs’ architectures and users’ motivations. Future research is required to go beyond methodological and statistical limitations and allow generalization. This study concludes that SNSs must be differentiated to truly understand how they shape human interactions.
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THE HISTORICAL/EVOLUTIONARY CAUSE AND POSSIBLE TREATMENT OF PANDEMIC COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2, 2019CORONAVIRUS) -
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+Background: A virus is a small infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism. Viruses can infect all types of life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea. In evolution, viruses are an important means of horizontal gene transfer, which increases genetic diversity in a way analogous to sexual reproduction. Influenza (Including (COVID-19), is an infectious disease caused by an influenza virus. Some viruses especially smallpox, throughout history, has killed between 300-500 million people in its 12,000year existence. As modern humans increased in numbers, new infectious diseases emerged, including SARS-CoV-2. We have two groups of virus, RNA and DNA viruses. The most brutal viruses are RNA ones like COVID-19 (Sars-CoV-2 [1] Introduction: Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans, coronaviruses cause respiratory tract infections that are typically mild, such as some cases of the common cold (among other possible causes, predominantly rhinoviruses), though rarer forms can be lethal, such as SARS, MERS, and COVID-19. Symptoms vary in other species: in chickens, they cause an upper respiratory tract disease, while in cows and pigs they cause diarrhea. Coronaviruses constitute the subfamily Orthocoronavirinae, The genome size, coronaviruses ranges from approximately 27 to 34 kilobases, the largest among known RNA viruses. Discussions and Results: We have researched from the first virus in the planet to the last mutated version which is SARS-COV-2. We have collected many informative data in tables and figures to reach the main cause of 2019Coronavirus and calculated the probability and estimated deaths in the current time. We have discussed about the possible treatment and prevention of the virus and did algebraic calculations on the epidemiology, the size and even the future of this pandemic. The only era which any virus had not been epidemic, were through world war 2, were the German scientists had found the way to fight any viral infections which is very important and can help scientists to reach the main treatment of the new 2019-Coronavirus. We have sorted the deadly and non-deadly coronaviruses and explained how this epidemic had begun through Evolutionary Medicine (EM). The result of the article is that 16% of the whole population in the world has been contaminated which is 1248000000 of 7.8 billion people world-wide. SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA Virus. its nucleic acid is 2 single-stranded RNA (ssRNA). The polarity of this virus is positive-sense ((+) ssRNA). Positivesense viral RNA is similar to mRNA and thus can be immediately translated by the host cell. Recombination in RNA viruses appears to be an adaptation for coping with genome damage. Recombination can occur infrequently between animal viruses of the same species but of divergent lineages. The resulting recombinant viruses may sometimes cause an outbreak of infection in humans. RNA viruses have very high mutation rates This is one reason why it is difficult to make effective vaccines to prevent diseases caused by RNA viruses. The resulting recombinant viruses causes an outbreak of infection in humans. Conclusion: In conclusion, the mutation of the SARSCoV and influenza viruses through Drift and Reassortment is the main cause of SARS-CoV-2 through natural selection, Lamarckian Evolution and coevolution which caused this RNA virus so powerful, unpredicted and different in the genome size and nations worldwide. The first Pandemic of Influenza was first detected in 1732 and this virus evolved through natural selection till 2019 which caused the worldwide pandemic of SARS-CoV-2. Based on many studies, inhalation of Ozone plus Sulfur Dioxide, increasing the amounts of L-Glutathione (Which is low in children and older adults and this is the main reason why older adults and children die from this disease.) plus Viral Phage Therapy (VPT) which we discussed fully in this article can be the possible prime treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The seasonal temperature cannot be useful in controlling/reducing the pandemic of this virus since the natural selection, Lamarckian Evolution and high mutation of the virus helps its survival. No antiviral drugs will be useful against SARSCoV-2 because of high rate of mutation and primarily adaptation of the virus to the drugs and even the environmental Temperature.
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DIGITAL MEDIA USE OF GENERATION Z DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC -
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+This study examines the depth (frequency), and width (different types) of digital media use about COVID-19 pandemic by Indonesian Gen Z. Participants come from several regions and consist of Gen Z who were born between 1995-2010. A survey towards 326 participants found that WhatsApp, Instagram, and YouTube are platforms that were used by Gen Z in their daily life. Meanwhile, this generation chose WhatsApp as the platform to share information on COVID-19 and other platforms like Instagram and Twitter to receive and post information, image, video, opinion, and personal experiences related to COVID-19. Finding also shows that in daily life, the participants can be categorised as heavy users because they spent more than four hours a day to use digital media. In contrast, they only spent less than an hour per day to find and share information about COVID-19. Therefore, this study argues that there are differences in media preference between daily life and toward COVID-19 pandemic information.
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The Impact of COVID-19 Mask Mandates on Consumer Spending -
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+The debate around the effects of the imposition of COVID-19 mask mandates has been fervent, however, little research has been done on the economic effects of these mandates. I find that mask mandates have a positive average treatment effect of 3% on consumer spending. I then use survey data to confirm the mechanism: people tend to feel more comfortable participating in the economy when mask-wearing is common. Finally, I provide an estimate of the increase in tax revenue state and local governments can expect to receive as a result of implementing a mask mandate, finding a mask mandate can offset a substantial portion of the pandemic-induced decline in tax revenue.
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ISLAMIC FASTING DURING RAMADAN WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT ON PANDEMIC OF COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) -
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+The aim of this review is to prove Islamic Fasting during COVID-19 pandemic has negative effect on the spreading of the virus. Basically Water makes up about 60% of one’s body weight. Fasting in Islamic religion is to stop drinking and eating any kinds of food/drinks (Water). even a little amount is forbidden during this month (Ramadan) and the duration is almost 29-30 days. In this review, we have mentioned the impact of fasting in causing Organ/Cellular inflammation, dehydration, dampen cellular/body metabolism which reduces producing enough ATP by mitochondrion through citric acid cycle (CAC) which causes body and organ weakness, dizziness, tiredness and reduction in immune system functioning of the body and increasing the amounts of Reactive Oxygen Species in cells that increasing the possibility of contamination the fasted individual to several important diseases. Infectious diseases including microbial/viral diseases, high abnormal heart rate as a result of falling blood volume which put high pressure on heart and worsen heart disease. The humidity and temperature of the environment in spring time is also help spreading viruses including SARS-CoV-2. Based on evidences in this article, Islamic Fasting during the pandemic of COVID-19 will increase the rate of contaminated people.
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INTRODUCING COVID-19 AS AN EVOLUTIONARY METABOLIC INFECIOUS DISEASE (EMID) The Prime Cause and Representing Alternative Treatment for COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) -
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+Background: Coronaviruses are a group of related viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans, coronaviruses cause respiratory tract infections that can range from mild to lethal. Mild illnesses include some cases of the common cold, while more lethal varieties can cause SARS, MERS, and COVID-19. The outbreak was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, declared to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020, and recognized as a pandemic on 11 March 2020. Introduction: Coronaviruses are the subfamily Orthocoronavirinae, within the family of Coronaviridae, order Nidovirales, and realm Riboviria. They are enveloped viruses with a positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome and a nucleocapsid of helical symmetry. The genome size of coronaviruses is approximately from 26 to 32 kilobases. Coronaviruses were first discovered in the 1930s and Human coronaviruses were discovered in the 1960s. The earliest ones studied were from human patients with the common cold, which were later named human coronavirus 229E and human coronavirus OC43. Other human coronaviruses have since been identified, including SARS-CoV in 2003, HCoV NL63 in 2004, HKU1 in 2005, MERS-CoV in 2012, and SARS-CoV-2 in 2019. Most of these have involved serious respiratory tract infections. Discussions and Results: Based on our multidisciplinary research, we have found the major cause and some treatments methods for fighting this powerful pathogen. The prime cause of COVID-19 is pushing the mitochondrial to lose MMP. A loss of the MMP by any mechanism leads to functional and structural collapse of the mitochondria and cell death. Mitophagy plays an important role in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis, but can also eliminate healthy mitochondria in cases such as cell starvation, viral invasion, and erythroid cell differentiation. The mitochondrial fusion and fission are highly dynamic. Viruses specially COVID-19, interfere with these processes to distort mitochondrial dynamic to facilitate their proliferation. Thus, interfering with these processes promotes the interference of different cellular signaling pathways. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) escapes the innate immune response by translocating its ORF-9b to mitochondria and promotes proteosomal degradation of dynamin-like protein (Drp1) leading to mitochondrial fission. We also researched on Ultrasonic Energy to destroy the virus which lead to positive results but it needs more future research. The most destructive way of viruses is to enhance Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and free radicals in human contaminated cell which cause inflammation in a host cell. ELF-EMF convert free radicals 2 into less active molecules and eliminate them into two pathways which has been discussed in the discussion part. Using ELF-EMF affects the second pathway that relies on the activity of the catalase and superoxide dismutase enzymes which is the most effective pathway. For the best result of treatment, is the use of low-frequency magnetic fields (LFMF) plus EMF-ELF which penetrate into deeper tissues, cells and mitochondria. We also have gone through many researches since 1920 and found if we emit the frequency as the same frequency of COVID-19, can cause resonance in the virus and destroy it. So we measured the SARS-CoV-2 frequency by Cyclotron and calculated the frequency of the virus is 30 KHz-500 KHz. Conclusion: COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) is one of the most complex virus which has been discovered since 2020. Until today, there has been no Antiviral Drug which can be useful in the treatment of this infectious disease has been discovered till today. COVID-19 genomic sequence containing SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and Influenza A. Therefore; there is a high possibility of continuing COVID-19 even in summer. To gain the best result in treatment, we should use low-frequency magnetic fields (LFMF) plus EMF which penetrate into deeper tissues, cells and mitochondria in order to reduce ROS and Inflammation. In order to destroy SARS-CoV-2 virus in environment and also in infected individuals, we should use ELF-EMF plus LFMF. We also have gone through many researches since 1920 and found if we emit the frequency as the same frequency of COVID-19, it can cause resonance in the virus and destroy it. So we measured the SARS-CoV-2 frequency by Cyclotron and calculated the frequency of the virus that id is 30 KHz-500 KHz. The differences in the frequencies is due to the size of the virus which is from 26 to 32 Kilobases.
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Prediction of COVID-19 mortality among hospitalized patients in Sudan -
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+Background: COVID-19 was primarily reported in China. The mortality rate across countries had ranged from 1% up to more than 10% and it is underestimated in some countries. Advanced age is the most frequently reported factor associated to mortality. Other factors were the presence of comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension and obesity. Several models for mortality prediction had been developed to assist in improving the prognosis. The aim of our study was to assess the factors related to mortality among COVID-19 patients and develop a prediction model based on these factors. Methods: A retrospective cohort study assessed the factors related to the mortality among COVID-19 patients who attended Imperial Hospital isolation centre on November- December, 2020, Khartoum, Sudan. Statistical tests performed were chi-square test, odds ratio and regression to develop the prediction model. Tests were considered statistically significant when p < 0.05. Results: 105 patients were studied. 29% of the patients were deceased, while, 71% were discharged alive. A statistically significant association was found between the age and severity with regards to mortality rate (p=0.034, 0.018 respectively). The model equation for mortality prediction: Mortality = -14.724+ (1.387* Age) + (-0.323* Gender) + (1.814* Admission) + ( 0.193* Ischemic Heart Disease) + ( -0.369* Fever) + ( 1.595* Cough) + ( 1.953* Complications) + ( 0.149* Duration of hospitalization) + ( 0.999* Enoxaparin dose). Conclusions: Age, admission ward, cough and enoxaparin dose were statistically significant predictors for COVID-19 mortality ( p= 0.014, 0.011, 0.015, 0.006 respectively).
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Emerging variants of concern in SARS-CoV-2 membrane protein: a highly conserved target with potential pathological and therapeutic implications -
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+Mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 Membrane (M) gene are relatively uncommon. The M gene encodes the most abundant viral structural protein, and is implicated in multiple viral functions, including initial attachment to the host cell via heparin sulfate proteoglycan, viral protein assembly in conjunction with the N and E genes, and enhanced glucose transport. We have identified a recent spike in the frequency of reported SARS-CoV-2 genomes carrying M gene mutations. This is associated with emergence of a new sub-B.1 clade defined by the previously unreported M:I82T mutation within TM3, the third of three membrane spanning helices implicated in glucose transport. The frequency of this mutation increased in the USA from 0.014% in October 2020 to 1.62% in February 2021, a 116-fold change. While constituting 0.7% of the isolates overall, M:I82T sub-B.1 lineage accounted for 14.4% of B.1 lineage isolates in February 2021, similar to the rapid initial increase previously seen with the B.1.1.7 and B.1.429 lineages, which quickly became the dominant lineages in Europe and California over a period of several months. A similar increase in incidence was also noted in another related mutation, V70L, also within the TM2 transmembrane helix. The rapid emergence of this sub-B.1 clade with recurrent I82T mutation suggests that this M gene mutation is more biologically fit, perhaps related to glucose uptake during viral replication, and should be included in ongoing genomic surveillance efforts and warrants further evaluation for potentially increased pathogenic and therapeutic implications.
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Bromodomain and Extraterminal Protein Inhibitor, Apabetalone (RVX-208), Reduces ACE2 Expression and Attenuates SARS-CoV-2 Infection in vitro -
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+Effective therapeutics are urgently needed to counter infection and improve outcomes for patients suffering from COVID-19 and to combat this pandemic. Manipulation of epigenetic machinery to influence viral infectivity of host cells is a relatively unexplored area. The bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) family of epigenetic readers have been reported to modulate SARS-CoV-2 infection. Herein, we demonstrate apabetalone, the most clinical advanced BET inhibitor, downregulates expression of cell surface receptors involved in SARS-CoV-2 entry, including angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 (DPP4 or CD26) in SARS-CoV-2 permissive cells. Moreover, we show that apabetalone inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro to levels comparable to antiviral agents. Taken together, our study supports further evaluation of apabetalone to treat COVID-19, either alone or in combination with emerging therapeutics.
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In vitro and in vivo preclinical studies predict REGEN-COV protection against emergence of viral escape in humans -
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+Monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 are a clinically validated therapeutic option against COVID-19. As rapidly emerging virus mutants are becoming the next major concern in the fight against the global pandemic, it is imperative that these therapeutic treatments provide coverage against circulating variants and do not contribute to development of treatment emergent resistance. To this end, we investigated the sequence diversity of the spike protein and monitored emergence of minor virus variants in SARS-COV-2 isolates found in nature or identified from preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies and in the clinic. This study demonstrates that a combination of non-competing antibodies not only provides full coverage against currently circulating variants but also protects against emergence of new such variants and their potential seeding into the population in a clinical setting.
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Phodopus roborovskii SH101 as a systemic infection model of SARS-CoV-2 -
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+Severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is currently causing a worldwide threat with its unusually high transmission rates and rapid evolution into diverse strains. Unlike typical respiratory viruses, SARS-CoV-2 frequently causes systemic infection by breaking the boundaries of the respiratory systems. The development of animal models recapitulating the clinical manifestations of COVID-19 is of utmost importance not only for the development of vaccines and antivirals but also for understanding the pathogenesis. However, there has not been developed an animal model for systemic infection of SARS-CoV-2 representing most aspects of the clinical manifestations of COVID-19 with systemic symptoms. Here we report that a hamster strain of Phodopus roborovskii SH101, a laboratory inbred hamster strain of P. roborovskii, displayed most symptoms of systemic infection upon SARS-CoV-2 infection as in the case of the human counterpart, unlike current COVID-19 animal models. P. roborovskii SH101 post-infection of SARS-CoV-2 represented most clinical symptoms of COVID-19 such as snuffling, dyspnea, cough, labored breathing, hunched posture, progressive weight loss, and ruffled fur, in addition to high fever following shaking chills. Histological examinations also revealed a serious right-predominated pneumonia as well as slight organ damages in the brain and liver, manifesting systemic COVID-19 cases. Considering the merit of a small animal as well as its clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection in human, this hamster model seems to provide an ideal tool to investigate COVID-19.
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Low ozone concentration and negative ions for rapid SARS-CoV-2 inactivation -
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+Ozone is a powerful anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral agent, yet exposure to high levels of ozone can pose risks to human/animal health and, in the long term, corrode certain objects. In order to overcome these risks, we evaluated the potential of using a relatively short exposure of a low concentration of ozone to disinfect an indoor environment in the absence of individuals and animals. ICON3 by O3ZONO/M2L, a new disinfection device generating both ozone and negative ions, was selected to assess the potential of this strategy to inactivate different viral isolates of SARS-CoV-2. Tests under controlled laboratory conditions were performed in a system consisting of an ozone-proof airtight plastic box inside a biological safety cabinet, where suspensions of two strains of SARS-CoV-2 were exposed to ozone and negative ions and virucidal activity was measured by means of two complementary methodologies: viral replication capacity and viral titer determination. These studies revealed that low concentration ozone (average 3 ppm after the peak) inactivated up to >99% of SARS-CoV-2 within 20 minutes of exposure. Under controlled conditions, similar ozone exposure was recreated with ICON3 in different volume rooms (15, 30, 60 m3) where a linear relationship was observed between the room volume and the time of continuous ozone/ions flow required to reach and maintain the desired ozone levels used in the laboratory studies. These studies suggest that ICON3 may have the potential for use in the disinfection of SARS-CoV-2 in indoor environments in the absence of individuals and animals, under properly controlled and monitored safety conditions.
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Clinical Study in the Treatment of Patients With COVID-19 - Condition: COVID-19 Interventions: Drug: Molixan; Drug: Placebo Sponsor: Pharma VAM Not yet recruiting
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Diagnostic Performance of the ID Now™ COVID-19 Screening Test Versus Simplexa™ COVID-19 Direct Assay - Condition: Covid19 Intervention: Diagnostic Test: ID Now™ COVID-19 Screening Test Sponsor: Groupe Hospitalier Paris Saint Joseph Active, not recruiting
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Dose-Ranging Study to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of Melatonin in Outpatients Infected With COVID-19 - Condition: COVID-19 Interventions: Drug: Melatonin; Drug: Placebo Sponsors: State University of New York at Buffalo; National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS) Not yet recruiting
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A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Brilacidin in Hospitalized Participants With COVID-19 - Condition: COVID-19 Interventions: Drug: Brilacidin; Drug: Placebo; Drug: Standard of Care (SoC) Sponsor: Innovation Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Recruiting
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Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics of Second Generation VIR-7831 Material in Non-hospitalized Participants With Mild to Moderate COVID-19 - Condition: Covid19 Interventions: Biological: VIR-7831 (Gen1); Biological: VIR-7831 (Gen2) Sponsors: Vir Biotechnology, Inc.; GlaxoSmithKline Recruiting
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DCI COVID-19 Surveillance Project - Condition: Covid19 Intervention: Diagnostic Test: SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Assay for Detection of COVID-19 Infection Sponsors: Temple University; Dialysis Clinic, Inc. Recruiting
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Safety, Tolerability, and Immunogenicity of the COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate (VBI-2902a) - Condition: Covid19 Interventions: Biological: VBI-2902a; Biological: Placebo Sponsor: VBI Vaccines Inc. Not yet recruiting
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Effectiveness of the Adsorbed Vaccine COVID-19 (Coronavac) Among Education and Law Enforcement Professionals With Risk Factors for Severity - Condition: Covid19 Intervention: Biological: Adsorbed SARS-CoV-2 (inactivated) vaccine Sponsors: Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado; Butantan Institute Not yet recruiting
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Vitamin D3 Levels in COVID-19 Outpatients From Western Mexico - Condition: Covid19 Intervention: Dietary Supplement: Vitamin D3 Sponsor: University of Guadalajara Completed
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Efficacy and Safety Evaluation of Inhaleen Inhalation in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients - Condition: Covid19 Interventions: Device: Carragelose; Device: NaCl Sponsors: Marinomed Biotech AG; Austian Research Promotion Agency Recruiting
Comparison of Remdesivir and Tocilizumab Versus Hydroxychloroquine and Tocilizumab Combination in COVID-19 Patients - Conditions: Covid19; Pneumonia Interventions: Drug: Remdesivir; Drug: Hydroxychloroquine; Drug: Tocilizumab Sponsors: October 6 University; Beni-Suef University Recruiting
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Dietary Supplements for COVID-19 - Condition: Covid19 Interventions: Drug: Vitamin D3 50,000 IU; Dietary Supplement: Vitamin C/Zinc; Dietary Supplement: Vitamin K2/D; Other: Microcrystalline Cellulose Capsule; Other: Medium Chain Triglyceride Oil Sponsors: The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine; Ottawa Hospital Research Institute Not yet recruiting
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A Phase II Study in Patients With Moderate to Severe ARDS Due to COVID-19 - Condition: Covid19 Intervention: Biological: hMSC Sponsors: Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc.; bioRASI, LLC Recruiting
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Safety, Tolerance and Immunogenicity of EuCorVac-19 for the Prevention of COVID-19 in Healthy Adults - Condition: Covid19 Interventions: Biological: EuCorVac-19; Other: Normal Saline Sponsor: EuBiologics Co.,Ltd Recruiting
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From PubMed
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Exploring dynamics and network analysis of spike glycoprotein of SARS-COV-2 - The ongoing pandemic caused by coronavirus SARS-COV-2 continues to rage with devastating consequences on human health and global economy. The spike glycoprotein on the surface of coronavirus mediates its entry into host cells and is the target of all current antibody design efforts to neutralize the virus. The glycan shield of the spike helps the virus to evade the human immune response by providing a thick sugar-coated barrier against any antibody. To study the dynamic motion of glycans in the…
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The Effect of Supervision Waivers on Practice: A Survey of Massachusetts Nurse Practitioners During the COVID-19 Pandemic - CONCLUSIONS: Temporary removal of state-level practice barriers alone is not sufficient to achieve immediate full scope of practice for NPs. The successful implementation of modernized scope of practice laws may require a collective effort to revise organizational and payer policies accordingly.
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Disinfectants Used in Stomatology and SARS-CoV-2 Infection - Effective disinfection is a basic procedure in medical facilities, including those conducting dental surgeries, where treatments for tissue discontinuity are also performed, as it is an important element of infection prevention. Disinfectants used in dentistry and dental and maxillofacial surgery include both inorganic (hydrogen peroxide, sodium chlorite-hypochlorite) and organic compounds (ethanol, isopropanol, peracetic acid, chlorhexidine, eugenol). Various mechanisms of action of…
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What makes (hydroxy)chloroquine ineffective against COVID-19: insights from cell biology - Since chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) can inhibit the invasion and proliferation of SARS-CoV-2 in cultured cells, the repurposing of these antimalarial drugs was considered a promising strategy for treatment and prevention of COVID-19. However, despite promising preliminary findings, many clinical trials showed neither significant therapeutic nor prophylactic benefits of CQ and HCQ against COVID-19. Here, we aim to answer the question of why these drugs are not effective against…
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Structural analogues of existing anti-viral drugs inhibit SARS-CoV-2 RNA dependent RNA polymerase: A computational hierarchical investigation - The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) became a pandemic, resulting in an exponentially increased mortality globally and scientists all over the world are struggling to find suitable solutions to combat it. Multiple repurposed drugs have already been in several clinical trials or recently completed. However, none of them shows any promising effect in combating COVID-19. Therefore, developing an effective drug is an unmet…
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Swine Acute Diarrhea Syndrome Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Protein Antagonizes Interferon-beta Production via Blocking the Interaction Between TRAF3 and TBK1 - Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV), first discovered in 2017, is a porcine enteric coronavirus that can cause acute diarrhea syndrome (SADS) in piglets. Here, we studied the role of SADS-CoV nucleocapsid (N) protein in innate immunity. Our results showed that SADS-CoV N protein could inhibit type I interferon (IFN) production mediated by Sendai virus (Sev) and could block the phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3). Simultaneously, the…
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Drug Repurposing and Polypharmacology to Fight SARS-CoV-2 Through Inhibition of the Main Protease - The outbreak of a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), which is responsible for the COVID-19 disease and is spreading rapidly around the world, urgently requires effective therapeutic treatments. In this context, drug repurposing represents a valuable strategy, as it enables accelerating the identification of drug candidates with already known safety profiles, possibly aiding in the late stages of clinical evaluation. Moreover, therapeutic treatments based on drugs with beneficial multi-target…
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Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 with IgG from COVID-19-convalescent plasma - While there are various attempts to administer COVID-19-convalescent plasmas to SARS-CoV-2-infected patients, neither appropriate approach nor clinical utility has been established. We examined the presence and temporal changes of the neutralizing activity of IgG fractions from 43 COVID-19-convalescent plasmas using cell-based assays with multiple endpoints. IgG fractions from 27 cases (62.8%) had significant neutralizing activity and moderately to potently inhibited SARS-CoV-2 infection in…
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Blockade of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-mediated cell-cell fusion using COVID-19 convalescent plasma - The recent COVID-19 pandemic poses a serious threat to global public health, thus there is an urgent need to define the molecular mechanisms involved in SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein-mediated virus entry that is essential for preventing and/or treating this emerging infectious disease. In this study, we examined the blocking activity of human COVID-19 convalescent plasma by cell-cell fusion assays using SARS-CoV-2-S-transfected 293 T as effector cells and ACE2-expressing 293 T as target cells. We…
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The Preclinical Inhibitor GS441524 in Combination with GC376 Efficaciously Inhibited the Proliferation of SARS-CoV-2 in the Mouse Respiratory Tract - The unprecedented coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a serious threat to global public health. Development of effective therapies against SARS-CoV-2 is urgently needed. Here, we evaluated the antiviral activity of a remdesivir parent nucleotide analog, GS441524, which targets the coronavirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase enzyme, and a feline coronavirus prodrug, GC376, which targets its main protease, using a…
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Metabolic programs define dysfunctional immune responses in severe COVID-19 patients - It is unclear why some SARS-CoV-2 patients readily resolve infection while others develop severe disease. By interrogating metabolic programs of immune cells in severe and recovered coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients compared with other viral infections, we identify a unique population of T cells. These T cells express increased Voltage-Dependent Anion Channel 1 (VDAC1), accompanied by gene programs and functional characteristics linked to mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis. The…
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SARS-CoV-2 Drug Discovery based on Intrinsically Disordered Regions - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a close relative of SARS-CoV-1, causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which, at the time of writing, has spread to over 19.9 million people worldwide. In this work, we aim to discover drugs capable of inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 through interaction modeling and statistical methods. Currently, many drug discovery approaches follow the typical protein structure-function paradigm, designing drugs to bind to fixed three-dimensional…
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Blockade of SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro by highly potent PI3K-alpha/mTOR/BRD4 inhibitor - Pathogenic viruses like SARS-CoV-2 and HIV hijack the host molecular machinery to establish infection and survival in infected cells. This has led the scientific community to explore the molecular mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 infects host cells, establishes productive infection, and causes life-threatening pathophysiology. Very few targeted therapeutics for COVID-19 currently exist, such as remdesivir. Recently, a proteomic approach explored the interactions of 26 of 29 SARS-CoV-2 proteins…
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Molecular mechanisms of Na,K-ATPase dysregulation driving alveolar epithelial barrier failure in severe COVID-19 - A significant number of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) that is associated with a poor outcome. The molecular mechanisms driving failure of the alveolar barrier upon severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV‑2) infection remain incompletely understood. The Na,K‑ATPase is an adhesion molecule and a plasma membrane transporter that is critically required for proper alveolar epithelial function by both promoting…
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Ribavirin shows antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and downregulates the activity of TMPRSS2 and the expression of ACE2 In Vitro - Ribavirin is a guanosine analog and has a broad-spectrum antiviral activity against RNA viruses. Based on this, we aimed to show the anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of this drug molecule via in vitro, in silico and molecular techniques. Ribavirin showed antiviral activity in Vero E6 cells following SARS-CoV-2 infection whereas the drug itself did not show any toxic effect over the concentration range tested. In silico analysis suggested that Ribarivin has a broad-spectrum impact on SARS-CoV-2, acting…
Compositions and methods for detecting SARS-CoV-2 spike protein - - link
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Aronia-Mundspray -
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+Anordnung zum Versprühen einer Substanz in die menschliche Mundhöhle und/oder in den Rachen, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Anordnung eine Sprühflasche mit einer Substanz aufweist, die wenigstens Aroniasaft und eine Alkoholkomponente aufweist.
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基于水疱性口炎病毒载体的新型冠状病毒嵌合重组疫苗及其制备方法与应用 - 本发明公开了基于水疱性口炎病毒载体的新型冠状病毒嵌合重组疫苗及其制备方法与应用。该重组疫苗的活性成分为重组病毒rVSV‑SARS‑CoV/2‑RBD，为将水疱性口炎病毒的糖蛋白G替换为嵌合囊膜蛋白S后得到的病毒；所述嵌合囊膜蛋白S为将SARS‑CoV囊膜蛋白S的RBD替换为SARS‑CoV‑2囊膜蛋白S的RBD后得到的蛋白；所述SARS‑CoV囊膜蛋白S的RBD的氨基酸序列为SARS‑CoV囊膜蛋白S氨基酸序列的第315‑536位；所述SARS‑CoV‑2囊膜蛋白S的RBD的氨基酸序列为SARS‑CoV‑2囊膜蛋白S氨基酸序列的第319‑541位。该重组病毒对新冠病毒的疫苗研制具有重要意义。 - link
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一种3-羟基丁酰化修饰蛋白质药物及其制备方法和应用 - 本发明涉及医药技术领域，公开了一种3‑羟基丁酰化修饰蛋白质药物（例如抗体）及其制备方法和应用，特别是一种3‑羟基丁酰化修饰抗体及其制备方法和应用。发明人经过大量实验发现，3‑羟基丁酸及其类似物修饰蛋白质药物（例如抗体）后，可以显著提高蛋白质药物的热稳定性、对蛋白酶水解的抗性，降低蛋白质药物的等电点，并显著延长其在受试者体内的半衰期，进而提高其药效。修饰后所得蛋白质药物在科研和临床方面具有广阔的应用前景和较高的商业价值。 - link
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新冠病毒重组融合蛋白、其制备方法和应用 - 本发明提供一种新冠病毒重组融合蛋白、其制备方法和应用。本发明通过对新冠病毒S和N重组融合蛋白的基因序列进行设计，选择最优的片段进行整合，再通过人源HEK293细胞系统重组表达融合蛋白，经过纯化后对融合蛋白的分子量、纯度进行检测，最后利用融合蛋白制成新冠病毒抗体胶体金检测试纸条/试剂盒。与单独使用S蛋白或N蛋白制备的胶体金检测试纸条相比，该重组融合蛋白制备的胶体金检测试纸条具有更高的灵敏度和更低的漏检率。此外，本发明提供的新冠病毒重组融合蛋白可广泛应用于不同平台技术的新冠抗体检测试剂盒开发，如胶体金、荧光免疫层析、化学发光和酶联免疫等。 - link
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Atemluft-Desinfektionsvorrichtung und Atemschutzmaske -
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+Atemluft-Desinfektionsvorrichtung mit einem am Körper eines Lebewesens (2) tragbaren Gehäuse (32), aufweisend:
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eine im Gehäuse (32) ausgebildete frei durchströmbare Atemluft-Bestrahlungskammer (33), die frei von den Strömungswiderstand erhöhenden Einbauten oder Umlenkabschnitten ist, und die an einem Ende (34.1) der Atemluft-Bestrahlungskammer (33) eine im Strömungsweg der Nase und/oder dem Mund des Lebewesens (2) zugewandte erste Durchtrittsöffnung (35.1) aufweist und an einem anderen Ende (34.2) der Atemluft-Bestrahlungskammer (33) eine im Strömungsweg von der Nase und/oder von dem Mund des Lebewesens (2) abgewandte zweite Durchtrittsöffnung (35.2) aufweist, wobei die Atemluft-Bestrahlungskammer (33) von wenigstens einer UV-reflektierenden Kammer-Innenwand (36) begrenzt ist, die aus einem wärmeleitenden Material besteht,
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wenigstens eine im Gehäuse (32) angeordnete, in die Atemluft-Bestrahlungskammer (33) einstrahlende UV-LED-Einheit (31, 31.1, 31.2), die ausgebildet und eingerichtet ist, den Innenraum der Atemluft-Bestrahlungskammer (33) mit UV-Strahlen vollständig zu beaufschlagen, und
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wenigstens einen sich außerhalb der Atemluft-Bestrahlungskammer (33) erstreckenden Kühlkörper (37), der thermisch sowohl an die wenigstens eine UV-LED-Einheit (31, 31.1, 31.2), als auch an die aus dem wärmeleitenden Material bestehende Kammer-Innenwand (36, 39, 40) angekoppelt ist.
制备重组新型冠状病毒Spike蛋白的方法 - 本发明提供了一种制备重组新型冠状病毒Spike蛋白的方法。本发明首先提供以下多肽作为信号肽在制备重组新型冠状病毒Spike蛋白中的应用：SEQ ID No. 10所示氨基酸序列组成的多肽。本发明采用特定信号肽，构建含有编码重组新型冠状病毒Spike蛋白的多核苷酸的表达载体，转染哺乳动物细胞以分泌表达重组新型冠状病毒Spike蛋白，可显著提高Spike蛋白在HEK293细胞中的分泌表达水平。 - link
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新型冠状病毒抗体检测试剂盒及其制备方法与应用 - 本发明提供一种新型冠状病毒抗体检测试剂盒及其制备方法与应用。所述试剂盒包括：IgG结合分子，抗IgM抗体，荧光标记的新型冠状病毒S1蛋白，荧光标记的新型冠状病毒N蛋白，S1蛋白的hIgG抗体阳性标准品，N蛋白的hIgG抗体阳性标准品，S1蛋白的hIgM抗体阳性标准品，N蛋白的hIgM抗体阳性标准品，阴性对照hIgG抗体样品，阴性对照hIgM抗体样品；其中，所述IgG结合分子与抗IgM抗体负载于不同粒径的纳米颗粒上。本发明的试剂盒用于新型冠状病毒抗体检测，可在1‑2h内快速完成血清中新型冠状病毒中和性抗体的检测，待检样品用量少，特异性强，灵敏度高，重复性好，操作简单，实验室要求低以及安全性高。 - link
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+ 12 March, 2021
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+Daily-Dose
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Who Ordered a Smear Campaign Against Andrew Cuomo’s First Accuser? - When Lindsey Boylan first publicly accused New York’s governor of sexual harassment, in December, damaging government documents about her were leaked to the press. - link
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L.A.’s Disorganized Vaccination Rollout and the Dream of Universal Health Care - The failures to reach the hardest hit populations are another reminder of how the system neglects so many. - link
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Biden Has Few Good Options for the Unaccompanied Children at the Border - The new Administration is coming under fire for a policy it says protects young migrants. - link
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The Stimulus Is Only the Start - We need a much bigger, historic reframing of how we think about work and employment and equity. - link
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Who Is in Charge of Cancel Culture? - Liberals increasingly embrace the progressive critique of structural racism, but they are far less certain what to do about it. - link
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From Vox
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In praise of the vaccine ’fit -
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+From celebrities to normies, people want to look their best when getting vaccinated. | EyeEm/Getty Images
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+Clothing has long been a celebratory tool. Covid-19 vaccinations are no different.
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+Before the pandemic, it might have seemed cheesy to get dressed up for a medical appointment. A year later, the world is different — it’s a place where people are actually excited for a needle in the arm.
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+It’s not all picture perfect, of course. Across the country, the overall Covid-19 vaccine rollout has, at times, been rocky and inequitable, and not everyone who needs a vaccine has been able to get one right away. Still, many of those who have been lucky enough to find an appointment have been posting about the experience and sharing their vaccine looks around social media. It’s kind of like an exclusive club: It’s still notoriously difficult to land a spot, there are lines out the door, and plenty of people, from celebrities to normies, want to look their best for the occasion.
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+These sartorial flexes have given rise to a new genre of photo: the vaccine selfie. Such selfies can lead to “vaccine shaming,” which Vox’s Alex Abad-Santos describes as being based in the perception that those who get the vaccine are “pulling the ladder up behind them,” but even with all the finger-pointing going on, it’s hard to resist snapping a photo of something many have been looking forward to for so long. Plus, it’s a pretty historic moment: People are vain, and we’d like to look cute in the photos we show off to our grandchildren as well as online strangers.
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+There are plenty of photos to prove it. One Twitter user, @ashlieatkinson, went viral for wearing a glittery-green floor-length gown to her vaccine appointment. It was somehow even more dramatic than what Dolly Parton chose to wear; the singer, who famously helped fund the Moderna vaccine, wore a sparkly blue cold-shoulder top and matching mask to her appointment, a fashion choice that allowed her vaccine administrator to reach her arm effortlessly. Hillary Clinton responded on Instagram with a throwback photo of herself in a cold-shoulder top, captioning it, “Shall we make this a trend?”
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+It might be well on its way. According to data from Lyst, a global shopping platform, searches on the site for “one-shoulder” and “off-shoulder” tops were up 27 percent in February compared to January. “Off-shoulder” sweater searches are also up 15 percent since the beginning of March 2021. Kiwi, a boutique in Brooklyn, began advertising a one-shoulder dress on Instagram for vaccine-appointment wear, inspired in part by Parton’s glamorous look. The aesthetic practicality of wearing a cold-shoulder top makes total sense. Instead of dealing with the awkward inconvenience of rolling up your sleeves, your shirt does all the work for you.
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+Anika Reed, a 26-year-old editor at USA Today, originally scheduled a vaccine appointment for May, but when she was suddenly able to move it up, she wasn’t prepared with an outfit. “Seeing other people get vaccinated and seeing celebrities like Dolly Parton inspired me,” Reed said. She was disappointed she didn’t have an off-shoulder sweater in her closet, but the weather worked out and allowed her to comfortably wear a white off-shoulder blouse she owned. She accessorized with simple gold jewelry, heart-shaped sunglasses, and a black Telfar mini bag.
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+“Moments where I finally get to leave the house have provided me with a small sliver of joy,” Reed said. Dressing up just made the occasion even brighter. “It provided an element of joy, but it was [also] functional and practical, instead of being stuck taking off like 16 layers. Now I have to go through all of my clothes and figure out what dose two is going to look like for me,” she added.
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+Others are not planning on full-on glam, opting instead for a more subtle statement. Alex Brown, a 23-year-old freelance writer living in Atlanta, doesn’t have a vaccine appointment yet. Even though it’s unclear when she’ll finally be vaccinated, she already knows what she’s going to wear: a T-shirt that simply reads, “The future is accessible.”
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+“The T-shirt was designed by this activist named Annie Segarra,” Brown told me. “At first I just ordered it to support them, because I really like their work and I liked the shirt. But then when I got it, I was like, ‘Oh, this would be a really cool thing to wear to my vaccine appointment,’ because it’s for disability activism. It’s also kind of like, ‘The future is within reach,’ if you take a double meaning of the word ‘accessible.’”
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+Brown, who is disabled, is hoping to land an appointment soon, especially since she has preexisting conditions that increase her risk for severe illness from the virus. “I’ve been isolating in my home for a year now, so I’m really looking forward to being able to see my family who don’t live in Georgia, and being able to return to more of the life I had before Covid,” Brown said. She hopes the state of Georgia creates better avenues for those who need vaccines to actually receive them, but until then, she at least has her vaccine outfit to look forward to wearing on the big day.
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+Still, not everyone arrives at their vaccine appointment feeling entirely giddy about the future. In fact, appearance was the last thing on the mind of Tammy Ingram, a 45-year-old professor in New York, as she lined up outside the Javits Center for her first dose in a hoodie, comfortable boots, and two masks.
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+“The outer mask was an RBG mask,” Ingram said. “We’ve all lost many things and people who were dear to us this year. That was my little tribute to just one of them.”
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+A few passersby winked at her or gave her a thumbs-up, but she still didn’t feel very celebratory. “So many vulnerable people still can’t get appointments because of shortages in other parts of the country. I feel grateful to have been able to get the vaccine,” she said. “I’ve lost a lot this year personally, and so have so many people I care about. Getting the vaccine won’t fix any of that, but it does feel like a big step forward.”
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+While the rollout has continued to improve in some key areas, we still have a long way to go. Ingram is right — there are plenty of people who still aren’t getting the access to vaccine resources they need. For example, as Fabiola Cineas reported for Vox, people of color are largely being neglected when it comes to vaccine-rollout efforts and access across the United States. Many older people and essential workers are being left out of the equation as well, even though they’re most at risk. None of this has been perfect, but for those who have managed to secure appointments, choosing a special outfit or fun accessory can provide a small sense of control, in spite of the rocky circumstances.
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+Ingram said she’s tentatively planning to meet a friend for a socially distant dinner after her second dose, so she might put a little more effort into that outfit. She’s also considering traveling this summer. “I will retire most of my soft pants, thank god,” she told me. “I am ready to have a reason to dress up and feel good again.”
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+In general, people seem excited for their vaccine appointments and, by extension, their outfits, as it’s their first big outing of significance in a long time. Many Americans have experienced months of Zoom birthday parties, FaceTime dates, and virtual happy hours. A vaccine appointment is the first step to getting back out into the real world, so you might as well step out. Clothing has long been a celebratory tool, and Covid-19 vaccinations are no different. It turns the appointment into a sacred ceremony, a coming-of-age moment. The pandemic is far from over, but we’ve made it this far, so we might as well celebrate by choosing fashion that makes us feel good.
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Biden’s speech promised Covid-19 vaccines for all US adults in May. It’s really possible. -
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+US President Joe Biden arrives to deliver an address to the nation on the anniversary of the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on March 11, 2021. | Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
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+Covid-19 vaccines truly are coming for everyone soon.
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+President Joe Biden on Thursday announced that all adults in the US will be eligible for a Covid-19 vaccine by May 1. “All adult Americans will be eligible to get a vaccine no later than May 1,” Biden said. “That’s much earlier than expected.”
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+Biden clarified that adults won’t all be able to get a vaccine right away, but they will at least be able to get in line. Even then, he said the country will have enough vaccine supply for all adults by the end of May — a claim he’s made before.
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+It’s a goal that, as Biden said, would have seemed unfeasible just a couple of months ago. But there’s good reason to believe it’s absolutely possible now.
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+Even if that rate doesn’t improve at all, the US could fully vaccinate around 130 million to 140 million Americans by May 1. That’s more than half of the nearly 260 million adults in the US today. So even before Biden’s promised date, the majority of adults in America could be vaccinated.
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+There’s also very good reason to think the rate will go up. By the end of this month, the pharmaceutical companies have indicated they’ll produce and ship more than 3 million vaccines a day. If states manage to turn those doses into shots in arms as they get them, the US could vaccinate around 150 million to 160 million Americans before May — roughly two-thirds of US adults.
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+And the rate of vaccinations could easily rise above that as supply continues to increase in the coming month and a half.
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+In other words, Biden’s promise could kick in at a time that only one-third of US adults will still need to get vaccinated, while the country is likely delivering shots at a rate of 3 million doses a day, if not more. At that point, the math simply fits: The remaining 100 million adults or so in America really could be covered over the span of a month. The only obstacle, if it all goes well, will be making an appointment.
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+That’s not to say the US is destined to do all of this without any trouble. Maybe the drug companies won’t be able to deliver on the supply they’ve promised. Maybe cities, states, and the feds won’t clear all the logistical hurdles to get shots in arms. Maybe something else will break in a fairly complicated supply chain.
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+And as supply increases, it’s likely vaccine hesitancy will become a bigger issue as more adults simply refuse a vaccine. Overcoming that — to continue increasing the nationwide rate of vaccinations — will require creative education and awareness campaigns, focused on local pockets of resistance. That will pose its own logistical challenges.
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+But at least this all seems possible. That wasn’t the case when Biden took office, as the country’s vaccine rollout struggled and fewer than 1 million Americans got a shot a day. Back then, it was unclear if we could vaccinate all US adults by the end of the year. It now looks like America could get the job done in just a few months.
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“It’s un-American. And it must stop”: Biden denounces anti-Asian racism -
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+President Biden delivers a primetime address to the nation from the White House on March 11. | Alex Wong/Getty Images
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+Joe Biden condemned anti-Asian hate crimes in a speech on pandemic recovery.
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+President Joe Biden, in a primetime address laying out the path to recovery from the pandemic, condemned anti-Asian racism outright, drawing yet another sharp contrast with his predecessor, who openly stoked xenophobic sentiments.
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+“Too often, we’ve turned against one another. … Vicious hate crimes against Asian Americans who have been attacked, harassed, blamed, and scapegoated. At this very moment, so many of them, our fellow Americans, they’re on the front lines of this pandemic trying to save lives, and still, still they’re forced to live in fear for their lives just walking down streets in America,” Biden noted. “It’s wrong. It’s un-American. And it must stop.”
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+Biden on rise of hate crimes against Asians: “It’s wrong. It’s un-American. And it must stop.” pic.twitter.com/c9D2YGhyKq
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+Biden’s comments come as anti-Asian incidents have surged during the pandemic: According to Stop AAPI Hate, a group that’s been tracking these reports, more than 2,800 such incidents have been documented since last March, ranging from violent attacks to verbal abuse including people getting spat on at the grocery store and called racial slurs. Per a report from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University San Bernardino, which examined police data in 16 major cities, hate crimes targeting Asian Americans rose 150 percent in the last year. And more recently, a wave of violent assaults on elderly people has renewed attention on this issue.
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+The president’s speech echoes the message of an executive action he took in January, when he denounced anti-Asian racism, called for better data collection of these incidents, and urged federal agencies to remove any racist language still being used in government documents.
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+His remarks send a powerful message, directly counter to the one sent by former President Donald Trump, who disregarded World Health Organization guidelines and used racist terms for the coronavirus. By strongly opposing anti-Asian actions in his remarks, Biden made it clear that such racism is unacceptable and won’t be amplified by this White House.
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From The Hindu: Sports
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Olympic host Japan will not take part in China vaccine offer - Olympic Minister Tamayo Marukawa says Japan has not been consulted by the IOC about the Chinese vaccines, and that Japanese athletes would not take them.
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IPL has been extremely beneficial for England: Ashley Giles - Now all of our players are in high demand for IPL, says the ECB MD
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Sri Lanka’s Gunathilaka dismissed for obstructing the field - Sri Lanka opener Danushka Gunathilaka was controversially dismissed for obstructing the field in the first one-day international against West Indies i
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Mithali becomes 1st Indian woman cricketer to score 10,000 international runs - Mithali joins England’s Charlotte Edwards in the elite club.
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Brathwaite replaces Holder as West Indies Test captain - West Indies will play two Tests against Sri Lanka later this month.
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From The Hindu: National News
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Fading appeal robs political lookalikes of livelihood - Once a major draw in poll campaigns, lookalike artistes leaders have been marginalised.
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PM hails contribution of Rani Kittur Channamma to freedom movement - ‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’ online ceremony displayed in Kittur
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NIA recovers ₹ 91 lakh from a field in Jammu - Cash recovered at the instance of one Romesh Kumar, who was arrested earlier this month in a narco-terror case
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Failure of DPR submission led to the shelving of ITIR project: Revanth Reddy - He blames it as KTR’s inefficiency
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Establish internal committees to prevent workplace harassment, SP tells organisations - ‘Women have been facing many difficulties while achieving self-reliance and financial independence’
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From BBC: Europe
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UK exports to European Union drop 40% in January - Official figures show a sharp drop in trade in goods with the EU as the Brexit transition period ended.
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Brussels bombers ‘murdered elderly man as a test’ - Two brothers who killed 31 people in 2016 earlier shot dead a 76-year-old, a Belgian report says.
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EU declared ‘LGBT freedom zone’ in response to Poland’s ‘LGBT-free zones’ - MEP’s overwhelmingly support a resolution that aims for all people in the EU to live “without fear”.
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Etna: Life beneath the volcanic dust of repeated eruptions - Three weeks of spectacular blasts have amazed onlookers - but caused untold damage for Sicilians.
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Coronavirus: AstraZeneca jab recommended for Ireland’s over-70s - An independent body which advises the government says the vaccine should be used ‘without delay’.
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From Ars Technica
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The moments we realized the pandemic would change everything - COVID-19, one year later: Ars staff looks back on…. truly something else. - link
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Rocket Report: China debuts new booster, SpaceX eyeing Indonesia launch site? - “This is a game-changer for South African space science.” - link
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Tossing vaccine priority list, Biden tells states to open eligibility by May 1 - In “war-time” effort, all adult Americans will have access to vaccine by May 1. - link
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Critics fume after Github removes exploit code for Exchange vulnerabilities - Microsoft-owned Github pulls down proof-of-concept code posted by researcher. - link
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Google Maps introduces a way for users to add and edit roads (again) - Maps is also getting a new way to upload photos to place listings. - link
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From Jokes Subreddit
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What did the Pokemon say after having too much sex. -
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