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<title>21 July, 2023</title>
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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>How can selective processing of vaccination information be diminished? Effects of mindsets and kinds of information</strong> -
<div>
Background: Selective processing of attitude-consistent information is a substantial obstacle in convincing vaccine-skeptical people of the benefits of vaccinations. This study tests (i) which types of information are particularly prone to such selective information processing, and (ii) whether a deliberative (vs. implemental) mindset focusing on potential benefits and harms may diminish its effects. Design: 612 Mturk participants were randomized into an implemental or deliberative mindset and received a flu vaccine-skeptical narrative, a flu vaccination facts box transparently summarizing risks and benefits, and a message by the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) in favor of the flu vaccine either referring to COVID-19 or not. We tested how these variations affected the acceptance of and the willingness to share each message. Furthermore, we evaluated their impact on flu vaccination attitudes and intentions. Results: The mindset manipulation failed to diminish generally prevalent selective information processing. While vaccine-skeptics did not accept and like the CDC message referring to COVID-19 (particularly in a deliberative mindset), they generally accepted the vaccination facts box more readily compared to both CDC messages. Conclusion: While mindsets were ineffective, more general and transparent information may be more likely to reach an anti-vaccine audience.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://osf.io/5k9hw/" target="_blank">How can selective processing of vaccination information be diminished? Effects of mindsets and kinds of information</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Predicting Depression and Anxiety Among Adults with Disabilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic</strong> -
<div>
Purpose/Objective: Emerging research has highlighted sources of magnified stress and trauma for people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, as compared to others in the general population. However, little research has examined the mental health impact of the pandemic on people with disabilities in relation to disability-related stigma, social isolation, and demographic characteristics. The present study therefore sought to identify predictors of depression and anxiety symptoms among U.S. adults with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research Methods/Designs: Data were collected online between October and December 2020. U.S. adults with disabilities (n = 441) completed self-report measures of depression, anxiety, psychosocial processes, and a range of demographic and disability characteristics. Results: In our sample, 61.0% and 50.0% of participants met criteria for a probable diagnosis of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, respectively. Participants also experienced significantly higher levels of disability-related stigma and social isolation compared to pre-pandemic norms. Hierarchical regression analyses identified higher social isolation, presence of chronic pain, younger age, higher disability-related stigma, and higher worries about contracting COVID-19 as significant predictors of both depression and anxiety symptoms. Conclusion/implications: This study highlights important demographic and psychosocial predictors of mental health risks for people with disabilities in the context of COVID-19. Findings further underscore the need to attend to those at elevated risk within the disability community as rehabilitation professionals, disability organizations, and policymakers work to support people with disabilities in post-pandemic recovery and create a more equitable response to ongoing and future public health crises.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://psyarxiv.com/zne42/" target="_blank">Predicting Depression and Anxiety Among Adults with Disabilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Narrative identity among people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic: The interdependent self</strong> -
<div>
This study examines narrative identity among a large, diverse (American) sample of people with disabilities (PWDs) during the “second wave” of the COVID-19 pandemic (October-December, 2020). The study relied on abductive analyses, combining a purely inductive phase of inquiry followed by two rounds of investigation that filtered inductive insights through three theoretical lenses: social-ecological theory, the theory of narrative identity, and perspectives from the interdisciplinary field of disability studies. The central result was the identification of a particular configuration of self, one that was demonstrably interdependent with both immediate interpersonal contexts and with broader cultural contexts. This interdependent self was interpreted in both positive and negative ways by PWDs. These findings invite future inquiry into commonplace conceptualizations of an independent self at the center of personality research.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://psyarxiv.com/6724x/" target="_blank">Narrative identity among people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic: The interdependent self</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Design of SARS-CoV-2 protease inhibitors with improved affinity and reduced sensitivity to mutations</strong> -
<div>
Inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) such as nirmatrelvir (NTV) and ensitrelvir (ETV) have proven effective in reducing the severity of COVID-19, but the presence of resistance-conferring mutations in sequenced viral genomes raises concerns about future drug resistance. Second-generation oral drugs that retain function on these mutants are thus urgently needed. We hypothesized that the covalent HCV protease inhibitor boceprevir (BPV) could serve as the basis for orally bioavailable drugs that inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Mpro more tightly than existing drugs. Performing structure-guided modifications of BPV, we developed a picomolar-affinity inhibitor, ML2006a4, with antiviral activity, oral pharmacokinetics, and therapeutic efficacy similar or superior to NTV. A crucial feature of ML2006a4 is a novel derivatization of the ketoamide reactive group that improves cell permeability and oral bioavailability. Finally, ML2006a4 is less sensitive to several mutations that cause resistance to NTV or ETV and occur in the natural SARS-CoV-2 population. Thus, anticipatory drug design can preemptively address potential resistance mechanisms.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.19.549739v1" target="_blank">Design of SARS-CoV-2 protease inhibitors with improved affinity and reduced sensitivity to mutations</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Repeated Omicron exposures override ancestral SARS-CoV-2 immune imprinting</strong> -
<div>
The continuous emergence of highly immune evasive SARS-CoV-2 variants, like XBB.1.5 and XBB.1.16, highlights the need to update COVID-19 vaccine compositions. However, immune imprinting induced by wildtype (WT)-based vaccination would compromise the antibody response to Omicron-based boosters. Vaccination strategies that can counter immune imprinting are critically needed. In this study, we investigated the degree and dynamics of immune imprinting in mouse models and human cohorts, especially focusing on the role of repeated Omicron stimulation. Our results show that in mice, the efficacy of single Omicron-boosting is heavily limited by immune imprinting, especially when using variants antigenically distinct from WT, like XBB, while the concerning situation could be largely mitigated by a second Omicron booster. Similarly, in humans, we found that repeated Omicron infections could also alleviate WT-vaccination-induced immune imprinting and generate high neutralizing titers against XBB.1.5 and XBB.1.16 in both plasma and nasal mucosa. By isolating 781 RBD-targeting mAbs from repeated Omicron infection cohorts, we revealed that double Omicron exposure alleviates immune imprinting by generating a large proportion of highly matured and potent Omicron-specific antibodies. Importantly, epitope characterization using deep mutational scanning (DMS) showed that these Omicron-specific antibodies target distinct RBD epitopes compared to WT-induced antibodies, and the bias towards non-neutralizing epitopes observed in single Omicron exposures due to imprinting was largely restored after repeated Omicron stimulation, together leading to a substantial neutralizing epitope shift. Based on the DMS profiles, we identified evolution hotspots of XBB.1.5 RBD and demonstrated the combinations of these mutations could further boost XBB.1.5’s immune-evasion capability while maintaining high ACE2 binding affinity. Our findings suggest the WT component should be abandoned when updating COVID-19 vaccine antigen compositions to XBB lineages, and those who haven’t been exposed to Omicron yet should receive two updated vaccine boosters.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.01.538516v4" target="_blank">Repeated Omicron exposures override ancestral SARS-CoV-2 immune imprinting</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Proteolytic cleavage and inactivation of the TRMT1 tRNA modification enzyme by SARS-CoV-2 main protease</strong> -
<div>
Nonstructural protein 5 (Nsp5) is the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 that cleaves viral polyproteins into individual polypeptides necessary for viral replication. Here, we show that Nsp5 binds and cleaves human tRNA methyltransferase 1 (TRMT1), a host enzyme required for a prevalent post-transcriptional modification in tRNAs. Human cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 exhibit a decrease in TRMT1 protein levels and TRMT1-catalyzed tRNA modifications, consistent with TRMT1 cleavage and inactivation by Nsp5. Nsp5 cleaves TRMT1 at a specific position that matches the consensus sequence of SARS-CoV-2 polyprotein cleavage sites, and a single mutation within the sequence inhibits Nsp5-dependent proteolysis of TRMT1. The TRMT1 cleavage fragments exhibit altered RNA binding activity and are unable to rescue tRNA modification in TRMT1-deficient human cells. Compared to wildtype human cells, TRMT1- deficient human cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 exhibit reduced levels of intracellular viral RNA. These findings provide evidence that Nsp5-dependent cleavage of TRMT1 and perturbation of tRNA modification patterns contribute to the cellular pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.10.527147v2" target="_blank">Proteolytic cleavage and inactivation of the TRMT1 tRNA modification enzyme by SARS-CoV-2 main protease</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Faith and Outgroup Dehumanization During COVID</strong> -
<div>
We explore how Christians and Buddhists, of different religiosity, react to death within the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Previous research has found that the interaction between cultural level, individual level and situational level factors are necessary to consider for a more comprehensive grasp of a phenomenon. We look at how Religion x Religiosity x Threat of Covid interact and show different relationships between these variables and dehumanization. We find that at higher levels of disruption by Covid-19 on religious practice (but not lower levels), Christians high on extrinsic religiosity (but low on intrinsic religiosity) dehumanized religious outgroups the most, whereas Christians high on extrinsic and high on intrinsic religiosity dehumanized religious outgroups significantly less. At low levels of impact of Covid-19 on religious practice, only higher levels of extrinsic religiosity were related to higher levels of dehumanization. Buddhists, regardless of level of religiosity and impact of Covid-19 to religious practice, consistently showed a relatively low level of dehumanization against religious outgroups. Findings are triangulated through multiple sources of data and further elaborated through qualitative coding of open-ended responses. These enactment patterns contribute to the religion and terror management literature and offer insights for potentially developing inclusive understanding with outgroup members.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://osf.io/8xuhw/" target="_blank">Faith and Outgroup Dehumanization During COVID</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Predicting the impact of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical intervention on short- and medium-term dynamics of enterovirus D68 in the US</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Recent outbreaks of enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) infections, and their causal linkage with acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), continue to pose a serious public health concern. During 2020 and 2021, the dynamics of EV-D68 and other pathogens have been significantly perturbed by non-pharmaceutical interventions against COVID-19; this perturbation presents a powerful natural experiment for exploring the dynamics of these endemic infections. In this study, we analyzed publicly available data on EV-D68 infections, originally collected through the New Vaccine Surveillance Network, to predict their short- and long-term dynamics following the COVID-19 interventions. Although there are large uncertainties in our predictions, the likelihood of a large outbreak in 2023 appears to be low. Comprehensive surveillance data are needed to narrow uncertainties in future dynamics of EV-D68. The limited incidence of AFM cases in 2022, despite large EV-D68 outbreaks, poses further questions for the timing of the next AFM outbreaks.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.14.23292680v2" target="_blank">Predicting the impact of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical intervention on short- and medium-term dynamics of enterovirus D68 in the US</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Application of Machine Learning in Prediction of COVID-19 Diagnosis for Indonesian Healthcare Workers</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The COVID-19 pandemic poses a heightened risk to health workers, especially in low-and middle-income countries such as Indonesia. Due to the limitations of implementing mass RT-PCR testing for health workers, high-performing and cost-effective methodologies must be developed to help identify COVID-19 positive health workers and protect the spearhead of the battle against the pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the application of machine learning classifiers to predict the risk of COVID-19 positivity (by RT-PCR) using data obtained from a survey specific to health workers. Machine learning tools can enhance COVID-19 screening capacity in high-risk populations such as health workers in environments where cost is a barrier to the accessibility of adequate testing and screening supplies. We built two sets of COVID-19 Likelihood Meter (CLM) models: one trained on data from a broad population of health workers in Jakarta and Semarang (full model) and tested on the same, and one trained on health workers from Jakarta only (Jakarta model) and tested on both the same and an independent population of Semarang health workers. The area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve (AUC), average precision (AP), and the Brier score (BS) were used to assess model performance. Shapely additive explanations (SHAP) were used to analyse future importance. The final dataset for the study included 5,393 healthcare workers. For the full model, the random forest was selected as the algorithm choice. It achieved cross-validation of mean AUC of 0.832 ± 0.015, AP of 0.513 ± 0.039, and BS of 0.124 ± 0.005, and was high performing during testing with AUC and AP of 0.849 and 0.51, respectively. The random forest classifier also displayed the best and most robust performance for the Jakarta model, with AUC of 0.856 ± 0.015, AP of 0.434 ± 0.039, and BS of 0.08 ± 0.0003. The performance when testing on the Semarang healthcare workers was AUC of 0.745 and AP of 0.694. Meanwhile, the performance for Jakarta 2022 test set was an AUC of 0.761 and AP of 0.535. Our models yielded high predictive performance and can be used as an alternative COVID-19 methodology for healthcare workers in Indonesia, therefore helping in predicting an increased trend of transmission during the transition into endemic.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.15.21265021v3" target="_blank">Application of Machine Learning in Prediction of COVID-19 Diagnosis for Indonesian Healthcare Workers</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Complete Protection from SARS-CoV-2 Lung Infection in Mice Through Combined Intranasal Delivery of PIKfyve Kinase and TMPRSS2 Protease Inhibitors</strong> -
<div>
Emerging variants of concern of SARS-CoV-2 can significantly reduce the prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy of vaccines and neutralizing antibodies due to mutations in the viral genome. Targeting cell host factors required for infection provides a complementary strategy to overcome this problem since the host genome is less susceptible to variation during the life span of infection. The enzymatic activities of the endosomal PIKfyve phosphoinositide kinase and the serine protease TMPRSS2 are essential to meditate infection in two complementary viral entry pathways. Simultaneous inhibition in cultured cells of their enzymatic activities with the small molecule inhibitors apilimod dimesylate and nafamostat mesylate synergistically prevent viral entry and infection of native SARS-CoV-2 and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-SARS-CoV-2 chimeras expressing the SARS-CoV-2 surface spike (S) protein and of variants of concern. We now report prophylactic prevention of lung infection in mice intranasally infected with SARS-CoV-2 beta by combined intranasal delivery of very low doses of apilimod dimesylate and nafamostat mesylate, in a formulation that is stable for over 3 months at room temperature. Administration of these drugs up to 6 hours post infection did not inhibit infection of the lungs but substantially reduced death of infected airway epithelial cells. The efficiency and simplicity of formulation of the drug combination suggests its suitability as prophylactic or therapeutic treatment against SARS-CoV-2 infection in households, point of care facilities, and under conditions where refrigeration would not be readily available.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.19.549731v1" target="_blank">Complete Protection from SARS-CoV-2 Lung Infection in Mice Through Combined Intranasal Delivery of PIKfyve Kinase and TMPRSS2 Protease Inhibitors</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>No evidence for the association between COVID-19 and neuroinflammation: A diffusion basis spectrum imaging study.</strong> -
<div>
COVID continues to be a major international public health concern, the underlying mechanisms of which are not fully understood. Recent studies suggest that COVID may cause prolonged inflammation within the central nervous system. However, the evidence so far has been limited to few small-scale case studies. To address this, this study leveraged a longitudinal dataset from the UK Biobank that included neuroimaging data prior to and following COVID testing (analytic N=416 including n=224 COVID-positive cases) and applied a novel and non-invasive Diffusion Basis Spectrum Imaging (DBSI) technique to derive putative indices of neuroinflammation (i.e., restricted fraction; DBSI-RF) for gray matter structures and white matter tracts in the brain. We hypothesized that SARS-CoV-2 infection would be associated with elevated DBSI markers of putative neuroinflammation and conducted linear regression analyses with adjustment for age, sex, race, body mass index, smoking frequency, and data acquisition interval. After multiple testing correction using false discovery rate, we found no evidence that COVID is associated with variability in neuroinflammation. Several brain regions showed nominally significant differences in DBSI-RF between COVID cases and controls including psychopathology-related regions linked that are either part of (i.e., orbitofrontal cortex) or functionally connected to the olfactory network (e.g., amygdala, caudate). It remains possible that there are acute and transitory neuroinflammatory effects associated with COVID that were not observed in our study due to potential resolution of COVID prior to the scan. Future research is warranted to examine whether neuroinflammation is associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in a time- and/or symptom-dependent manner.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.20.549891v1" target="_blank">No evidence for the association between COVID-19 and neuroinflammation: A diffusion basis spectrum imaging study.</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Structure, Dynamics and Free Energy Studies on the Effect of Spot Mutations on SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Binding with ACE2 Receptor</strong> -
<div>
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to infect people worldwide, and the virus continues to evolve in significant ways which can pose challenges to the efficiency of available vaccines and therapeutic drugs and cause future pandemic. Therefore, it is important to investigate the binding and interaction of ACE2 with different RBD variants. A comparative study using all-atom MD simulations was conducted on ACE2 binding with 8 different RBD variants, including N501Y, E484K, P479S, T478I, S477N, N439K, K417N and N501Y-E484K-K417N on RBD. Based on the RMSD, RMSF, and DSSP results, the overall the binding of RBD variants with ACE2 is stable, and the secondary structure of RBD and ACE2 are consistent after the spot mutation. Besides that, a similar buried surface area, a consistent binding interface and a similar amount of hydrogen bonds formed between RBD with ACE2 although the exact residue pairs on the binding interface were modified. The change of binding free energy from spot mutation was predicted using the free energy perturbation (FEP) method. It is found that N501Y, N439K, and K417N can strengthen the binding of RBD with ACE2, while E484K and P479S weaken the binding, and S477N and T478I have negligible effect on the binding. Spot mutations modified the dynamic correlation of residues in RBD based on the dihedral angle covariance matrix calculation. Doing dynamic network analysis, a common intrinsic network community extending from the tail of RBD to central, then to the binding interface region was found, which could communicate the dynamics in the binding interface region to the tail thus to the other sections of S protein. The result can supply unique methodology and molecular insight on studying the molecular structure and dynamics of possible future pandemics and design novel drugs.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.19.549772v1" target="_blank">Structure, Dynamics and Free Energy Studies on the Effect of Spot Mutations on SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Binding with ACE2 Receptor</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Activated interstitial macrophages are a predominant target of viral takeover and focus of inflammation in COVID-19 initiation in human lung</strong> -
<div>
Early stages of deadly respiratory diseases such as COVID-19 have been challenging to elucidate due to lack of an experimental system that recapitulates the cellular and structural complexity of the human lung while allowing precise control over disease initiation and systematic interrogation of molecular events at cellular resolution. Here we show healthy human lung slices cultured ex vivo can be productively infected with SARS-CoV-2, and the cellular tropism of the virus and its distinct and dynamic effects on host cell gene expression can be determined by single cell RNA sequencing and reconstruction of “infection pseudotime” for individual lung cell types. This revealed that the prominent SARS-CoV-2 target is a population of activated interstitial macrophages (IMs), which as infection proceeds accumulate thousands of viral RNA molecules per cell, comprising up to 60% of the cellular transcriptome and including canonical and novel subgenomic RNAs. During viral takeover of IMs, there is cell-autonomous induction of a pro-fibrotic program (TGFB1, SPP1), and an inflammatory program characterized by the early interferon response, chemokines (CCL2, 7, 8, 13, CXCL10) and cytokines (IL6, IL10), along with destruction of cellular architecture and formation of dense viral genomic RNA bodies revealed by super-resolution microscopy. In contrast, alveolar macrophages (AMs) showed neither viral takeover nor induction of a substantial inflammatory response, although both purified AMs and IMs supported production of infectious virions. Spike-dependent viral entry into AMs was neutralized by blockade of ACE2 or Sialoadhesin/CD169, whereas IM entry was neutralized only by DC-SIGN/CD209 blockade. These results provide a molecular characterization of the initiation of COVID-19 in human lung tissue, identify activated IMs as a prominent site of viral takeover and focus of inflammation and fibrosis, and suggest therapeutic targeting of the DC-SIGN/CD209 entry mechanism to prevent IM infection, destruction and early pathology in COVID-19 pneumonia. Our approach can be generalized to define the initiation program and evaluate therapeutics for any human lung infection at cellular resolution.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.05.10.491266v2" target="_blank">Activated interstitial macrophages are a predominant target of viral takeover and focus of inflammation in COVID-19 initiation in human lung</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Compartmental mixing models for vaccination-status-based societal separation regarding viral respiratory diseases</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Background: Societal separation of unvaccinated people from public spaces has been a novel and controversial COVID-era public health practice in many countries. Models exploring potential consequences of vaccination-status-based separation have not considered how separation influences the contact frequencies in the separated groups; we systematically investigate implementing effects of separation on population-specific contact frequencies and show this critically determines the predicted epidemiological outcomes, focusing on the attack rates in the vaccinated and unvaccinated populations and the share of infections among vaccinated people that were due to contacts with infectious unvaccinated people. Methods: We describe a susceptible-infectious-recovered (SIR) two-population model for vaccinated and unvaccinated groups of individuals that transmit an infectious disease by person-to-person contact. The degree of separation between the two groups, ranging from zero to complete separation, is implemented using the like-to-like mixing approach developed for sexually-transmitted diseases [1-3], adapted for presumed SARS-CoV-2 transmission. We allow the contact frequencies for individuals in the two groups to be different and depend, with variable strength, on the degree of separation. Results: Separation can either increase or decrease the attack rate among the vaccinated, depending on the type of separation (isolating or compounding), and the contagiousness of the disease. For diseases with low contagiousness, separation can cause an attack rate in the vaccinated, which does not occur without separation. Interpretation: There is no blanket epidemiological advantage to separation, either for the vaccinated or the unvaccinated. Negative epidemiological consequences can occur for both groups.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.21.22279035v4" target="_blank">Compartmental mixing models for vaccination-status-based societal separation regarding viral respiratory diseases</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Power users: Technology and Canadian sex workers during COVID-19</strong> -
<div>
The transition from physical to online advertising by sex workers in Canada has been well documented. However, few studies use rigorous sampling methods. This study considers how a technically sophisticated group of advertisers from a large Canadian sex work classifieds site used multiple online resources to promote or provide services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advertisers qualified for the study if they used a URL as part of their contact information and were actively advertising between August 23 and September 22, 2022. A random sample of 1000 qualifying advertisers were selected of which 783 had accessible contact URLs. Themes were identified in downloaded website texts using grounded theory analysis. Ad metadata was used to identify demographic and behavioral distinctions between the sample and other advertisers. Almost all sampled advertisers (99%) provided in person services and most (70%) provided online services. The sample advertised more frequently, were more affluent and were more likely to be Anglophone, White, trans-female, or provide BDSM services. Themes of security, health, identity, and social networks were identified. Advertisers emphasized physical, emotional, and financial security. Most workers did not work in isolation and many participated in extensive social networks.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/u5kd2/" target="_blank">Power users: Technology and Canadian sex workers during COVID-19</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>Smell in COVID-19 and Efficacy of Nasal Theophylline (SCENT 3)</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   COVID-19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: theophylline;   Drug: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Washington University School of Medicine<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>Lymph Node Aspiration to Decipher the Immune Response of Beta-variant Recombinant Protein Booster Vaccine (VidPrevtyn Beta, Sanofi) Compared to a Bivalent mRNA Vaccine (Comirnaty Original/Omicron BA.4-5, BioNTech-Pfizer) in Adults Previously Vaccinated With at Least 3 Doses of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine.</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   COVID-19<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Procedure: Lymph node aspiration / Blood sampling<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris<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>COVID-19 Trial of the Candidate Vaccine MVA-SARS-2-S in Adults</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Biological: MVA-SARS-2-S;   Other: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf;   German Center for Infection Research;   Philipps University Marburg Medical Center;   Ludwig-Maximilians - University of Munich;   University Hospital Tuebingen;   CTC-NORTH<br/><b>Withdrawn</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>Treatment of Long COVID (TLC) Feasibility Trial</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   COVID-19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: Low-dose Naltrexone (LDN);   Drug: Cetirizine;   Drug: Famotidine;   Drug: LDN Placebo;   Drug: Cetirizine Placebo;   Drug: Famotidine Placebo<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   Emory University;   CURE Drug Repurposing Collaboratory (CDRC)<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>Efficiency and Safety of Paxlovid for COVID-19 Patients With Severe Chronic Kidney Disease</strong> - <b>Conditions</b>:   COVID-19;   Renal Insufficiency, Chronic<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Drug: Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Chinese PLA General 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>Safety, Efficacy, and Dosing of VIX001 in Patients With Neurological Symptoms of Post Acute COVID-19 Syndrome (PACS).</strong> - <b>Conditions</b>:   Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome;   Cognitive Impairment;   Neurological Complication<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Drug: VIX001<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Neobiosis, LLC<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>PROTECT-APT 1: Early Treatment and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis of COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   SARS-CoV-2<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: Upamostat;   Drug: Placebo (PO)<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine;   Joint Program Executive Office Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense Enabling Biotechnologies;   FHI Clinical, Inc.;   RedHill Biopharma Limited<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A Clinical Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of Randomized Placebo Versus the 8-aminoquinoline Tafenoquine for Early Symptom Resolution in Patients With Mild to Moderate COVID 19 Disease and Low Risk of Disease Progression</strong> - <b>Conditions</b>:   COVID 19 Disease;   Mild to Moderate COVID 19 Disease;   SARS-CoV-2;   Infectious Disease;   Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: Tafenoquine Oral Tablet;   Drug: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   60P Australia Pty 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>A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy, Safety, Tolerability and PK of SNS812 in Mild to Moderate COVID-19 Patients</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Disease Caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (Disorder)<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: MBS-COV;   Drug: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Oneness Biotech Co., 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>Efficacy of the Therapy With BRAINMAX® Using fMRI for the Treatment of Patients With Asthenia After COVID-19</strong> - <b>Conditions</b>:   Asthenia;   COVID-19;   Functional MRI;   Cognitive Impairment<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Other: Structural and functional MRI;   Drug: Ethyl methyl hydroxypyridine succinate + Meldonium;   Drug: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Promomed, LLC<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>NDV-HXP-S Vaccine Clinical Trial (COVIVAC)</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   COVID-19<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Biological: COVIVAC vaccine<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals, Vietnam;   National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE), Vietnam;   Center for Disease Control of Thai Binh Province, Vietnam<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>Immunoadsorption vs. Sham Treatment in Post COVID Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome</strong> - <b>Conditions</b>:   Fatigue;   Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Procedure: Immunoadsorption vs. sham immunoadsorption<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Hannover Medical School<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>Early Application of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure in Coronavirus Patients at Risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea</strong> - <b>Conditions</b>:   Covid19;   Obstructive Sleep Apnea;   CPAP Ventilation;   Corona Virus Infection<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Device: CPAP ( Continuous positive airway pressure);   Device: oxygen therapy<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Mansoura University<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>MR-spectroscopy in Post-covid Condition Prior to and Following a Yoga Breathing Intervention</strong> - <b>Conditions</b>:   Post COVID-19 Condition;   Somatic Symptom Disorder<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Behavioral: yoga;   Behavioral: social contact<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Medical University Innsbruck<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>Clinical Evaluation of SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19), Influenza and RSV 8-Well MT-PCR Panel for In Vitro Diagnostics</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Respiratory Viral Infection<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Diagnostic Test: SARS-COV-2, Influenza and RSV 8-Well MT-PCR Panel;   Diagnostic Test: BioFire Respiratory Panel 2.1<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   AusDiagnostics Pty Ltd.<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>New Viral Diseases and New Possible Remedies by Means of the Pharmacology of the Renin-Angiotensin System</strong> - All strains of SARS-CoV-2, as well as previously described SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, bind to ACE2, the cell membrane receptor of β-coronaviruses. Monocarboxypeptidase ACE2 activity stops upon viral entry into cells, leading to inadequate tissue production of angiotensin 1-7 (Ang1-7). Acute lung injury due to the human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) or avian influenza A H7N9 and H5N1 viruses is also characterized by significant downregulation of lung ACE2 and increased systemic levels of…</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Development of nanozymes for promising alleviation of COVID-19-associated arthritis</strong> - The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has been identified as a culprit in the development of a variety of disorders, including arthritis. Although the emergence of arthritis following SARS-CoV-2 infection may not be immediately discernible, its underlying pathogenesis is likely to involve a complex interplay of infections, oxidative stress, immune responses, abnormal production of inflammatory factors, cellular destruction, etc. Fortunately, recent advancements in nanozymes with enzyme-like…</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>Toxic effects of aging mask microplastics on E. coli and dynamic changes in extracellular polymeric matter</strong> - Contamination of disposable medical masks has become a growing problem globally in the wake of Covid-19 due to their widespread use and improper disposal. Three different mask layers, namely the outer layer, the meltblown (MB) filler layer and the inner layers release three different types of microplastics, whose physical and chemical properties change after prolonged environmental weathering. In this study, physical and chemical changes of mask microplastics before and after aging were…</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>New cyclic arylguanidine scaffolds as a platform for development of antimicrobial and antiviral agents</strong> - According to WHO, infectious diseases are still a significant threat to public health. The combine effects of antibiotic resistance, immunopressure, and mutations within the bacterial and viral genomes necessitates the search for new molecules exhibiting antimicrobial and antiviral activities. Such molecules often contain cyclic guanidine moiety. As part of this work, we investigated the selected antimicrobial and antiviral activity of compounds from the cyclic arylguanidine group. Molecules…</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>C-2 Thiophenyl Tryptophan Trimers Inhibit Cellular Entry of SARS-CoV-2 through Interaction with the Viral Spike (S) Protein</strong> - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes COVID-19, by infecting cells via the interaction of its spike protein (S) with the primary cell receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2). To search for inhibitors of this key step in viral infection, we screened an in-house library of multivalent tryptophan derivatives. Using VSV-S pseudoparticles, we identified compound 2 as a potent entry inhibitor lacking cellular toxicity. Chemical optimization of 2 rendered compounds…</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>Modulation of NRF2: biological dualism in cancer, targets and possible therapeutic applications</strong> - SIGNIFICANCE: The NRF2-KEAP1 system is a master regulator of redox homeostasis and cell adaptation to a variety of exogenous and endogenous stressors. Accumulating evidence from the last decade indicates that the impairment of the redox balance leads to oxidative stress (OS), a common alteration occurring in many human acute and chronic inflammatory diseases,, such as cancer, diabetes, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disorders, and aging.</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>Efficacy of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound in the treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia</strong> - Purpose As a public health emergency of international concern, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) still lacks specific antiviral drugs, and symptomatic treatment is currently the mainstay. The overactivated inflammatory response in COVID-19 patients is associated with a high risk of critical illness or even death. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) can mitigate inflammation and inhibit edema formation. We aimed to investigate the efficacy of LIPUS therapy for COVID-19 pneumonia….</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>Research Progress of Immunomodulation on Anti-COVID-19 and the Effective Components from Traditional Chinese Medicine</strong> - SARS-CoV-2 has posed a threat to the health of people around the world because of its strong transmission and high virulence. Currently, there is no specific medicine for the treatment of COVID-19. However, for a wide variety of medicines used to treat COVID-19, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays a major role. In this paper, the effective treatment of COVID-19 using TCM was consulted first, and several Chinese medicines that were frequently used apart from their huge role in treating it…</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A Phase 2 randomised study to establish efficacy, safety and dosing of a novel oral cathepsin C inhibitor, BI 1291583, in adults with bronchiectasis: Airleaf</strong> - New therapies are needed to prevent exacerbations, improve quality of life and slow disease progression in bronchiectasis. Inhibition of cathepsin C (CatC) activity has the potential to decrease activation of neutrophil-derived serine proteases in patients with bronchiectasis, thereby reducing airway inflammation, improving symptoms, reducing exacerbations and preventing further airway damage. Here we present the design of a phase 2 trial (Airleaf™; NCT05238675) assessing the efficacy and safety…</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>Immunogenicity and safety of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in haemodialysis patients: a prospective cohort study</strong> - End-stage renal disease patients on haemodialysis (HD) have been largely excluded from SARS-CoV-2 vaccine trials due to safety reasons and shown to mount lower responses to vaccination. This study aims to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine among HD patients compared to healthy controls. All subjects who received the primary inactivated COVID-19 vaccination had their blood samples tested 21 days after the second dose. We report the immunogenicity based on…</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>Effective SARS-CoV-2 replication of monolayers of intestinal epithelial cells differentiated from human induced pluripotent stem cells</strong> - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes severe acute respiratory symptoms in humans. Controlling the coronavirus disease pandemic is a worldwide priority. The number of SARS-CoV-2 studies has dramatically increased, and the requirement for analytical tools is higher than ever. Here, we propose monolayered-intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) instead of three-dimensional cultured intestinal organoids as a suitable…</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>Picolinic acid is a broad-spectrum inhibitor of enveloped virus entry that restricts SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus in vivo</strong> - The COVID-19 pandemic highlights an urgent need for effective antivirals. Targeting host processes co-opted by viruses is an attractive antiviral strategy with a high resistance barrier. Picolinic acid (PA) is a tryptophan metabolite endogenously produced in mammals. Here, we report the broad-spectrum antiviral activity of PA against enveloped viruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), influenza A virus (IAV), flaviviruses, herpes simplex virus, and…</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Federal telehealth policy changes during the COVID-19 public health emergency: Associations with telemental health use among rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries</strong> - CONCLUSIONS: TMH mitigated PHE-related barriers to MHS access for rural and urban beneficiaries, but urban residents benefited disproportionately. Among rural beneficiaries, older age was related to lower TMH use. To avoid reinforcing existing MHS access disparities, policies must address factors limiting TMH use among rural beneficiaries, especially those over 75 and those from historically underserved communities.</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>SARS-CoV-2 Nsp1 regulates translation start site fidelity to promote infection</strong> - A better mechanistic understanding of virus-host interactions can help reveal vulnerabilities and identify opportunities for therapeutic interventions. Of particular interest are essential interactions that enable production of viral proteins, as those could target an early step in the virus lifecycle. Here, we use subcellular proteomics, ribosome profiling analyses and reporter assays to detect changes in polysome composition and protein synthesis during SARS-CoV-2 (CoV2) infection. We identify…</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>Seasonal coronavirus infections trigger NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages but is therapeutically targetable</strong> - Seasonal coronaviruses widely circulate in the global population, and severe complications can occur in specific vulnerable populations. Little is known on their pathogenic mechanisms and no approved treatment is available. Here, we present anecdotal evidence that the level of IL-1β, a hallmark of inflammasome activation, appears elevated in a subset of seasonal coronavirus infected patients. We found that cultured human macrophages support the full life cycle of three cultivatable seasonal…</p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-patent-search">From Patent Search</h1>
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<h1 data-aos="fade-down" id="daily-dose">Daily-Dose</h1>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" data-aos-anchor-placement="top-bottom" id="contents">Contents</h1>
<ul>
<li><a href="#from-new-yorker">From New Yorker</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-vox">From Vox</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-the-hindu-sports">From The Hindu: Sports</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-the-hindu-national-news">From The Hindu: National News</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-bbc-europe">From BBC: Europe</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-ars-technica">From Ars Technica</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-jokes-subreddit">From Jokes Subreddit</a></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-new-yorker">From New Yorker</h1>
<ul>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A New Lawsuit Alleges That Leonard Leo Called for the Arrest of a Pro-Choice Protester</strong> - The court filing claims that the Federalist Society leader, a champion of free speech, urged police to violate the First Amendment rights of a demonstrator near his Maine home. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/a-new-lawsuit-alleges-that-leonard-leo-called-for-the-arrest-of-a-pro-choice-protester">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The Puzzling, Increasingly Rightward Turn of Mario Vargas Llosa</strong> - The writer has shocked many by endorsing Latin America and Spain’s rising authoritarian movements. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-puzzling-increasingly-rightward-turn-of-mario-vargas-llosa">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>A Day in the Life of Congress’s “Traffic Cop”</strong> - The House Committee on Rules decides which bills go forward. Jim McGovern, the ranking Democrat, has watched a decades-long erosion of the process. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-political-scene/a-day-in-the-life-of-jim-mcgovern-us-congress">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Finally, the Trump Case We’ve Been Waiting For</strong> - But, with 2024 looming, is it already too late? - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-bidens-washington/finally-the-trump-case-weve-been-waiting-for">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The Transcendent Thrill of Watching the Tour de France</strong> - The hours of coverage a day provide a pleasurable distraction from flooding rains, air-quality alerts, and climate dread. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-transcendent-thrill-of-watching-the-tour-de-france">link</a></p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-vox">From Vox</h1>
<ul>
<li><strong>The invisible consequences of heat on the body and mind</strong> -
<figure>
<img alt="An illustration of a person running from a shaded area out into bright blazing sunlight, sweating." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/su7_24YJXI1tZtK1x7gxZSrjn3Q=/480x0:1920x1080/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72471431/Vox_LaurenTamaki_Heatwave.0.jpg"/>
<figcaption>
Lauren Tamaki for Vox
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Heat has bigger effects on us than we may realize.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="INnEPf">
A few weeks ago, the world recorded the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/19/climate/global-heat-records-july.html">hottest</a> day ever, breaking a record set just the day before. The milestone for hottest single temperature on the planet may fall any day now as Death Valley approaches <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/death-valley-could-set-a-world-record-hot-temperature/">130 degrees Fahrenheit</a>. And last month was the hottest <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/06/world/warmest-june-global-record-climate/index.html">June</a> ever measured across the world.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="sGRAmI">
It’s the hottest summer of our lives, and summertime isn’t even halfway over.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="hynQQ2">
These are the effects at about 1 degree Celsius of warming — just an early warning sign of a world that, on its current trajectory, is poised to warm <a href="https://gizmodo.com/un-report-climate-change-2-degrees-warming-1849704926">three or more times</a> that amount.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="P0GYsH">
Heat is a particular kind of killer. In the United States, it leads to more deaths than hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, and earthquakes — <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/extreme-heat-is-deadlier-than-hurricanes-floods-and-tornadoes-combined/">combined</a>. But heat is also called the <a href="https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2022/10/battling-heat-waves-the-silent-killer/">silent killer</a> because we simply don’t know all of its effects on our bodies. In fact, we only have data on a slice of the deadly consequences. Heat also puts an unequal burden on more vulnerable populations, harming older and lower-income people, outdoor workers, and prisoners while other parts of society try to look away from inside air-conditioned homes.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="LV9Oy4">
There are just as many non-fatal health consequences in a heat wave. The toll grows the longer a heat wave lingers, which leads to the exact conditions a large part of the world finds itself in this summer.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="JNywbz">
Even our best metric for understanding all of the consequences of heat is flawed. Most health research on heat focuses on deaths and to a lesser extent hospital admissions. Vivek Shandas, Portland State University professor of climate adaptation, calls the focus on mortality overly “blunt measures” that fail to capture how climate change is harming the world’s mental and physical health. While most of the studies discussed below track heat-related deaths, they are more likely missing a bigger picture: There’s an even broader population suffering from heat, but in ways that don’t lead to hospitalization or death.
</p>
<h3 id="VZ7XKo">
What’s the physical toll of extreme heat?
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="WRWbsW">
<strong>Cardiovascular</strong>
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Odhv1a">
The primary performer in helping cool the body down is the heart. It is under special strain when temperatures rise, and the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4155032/">vast number of deaths</a> associated with a heat wave isn’t directly from <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21812-heatstroke">heatstroke</a>, when the organs can shut down from overheating, but because the heart can’t keep up.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="vlTrux">
Several systems in the body work overtime to keep internal organs cool as temperatures rise. In hotter temperatures, the heart moves more blood to the skin, so that the heat can dissipate into the environment. The evaporation of sweat is essential to the process. But as the body ages, it becomes less efficient at achieving all this, less able to pump enough blood with every beat, worse at increasing skin blood flow, and less able to sweat to cool down. Not only does the body become less efficient at cooling down, but older adults are also more likely to be taking medications that affect their ability to regulate internal temperatures.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="wAR8e5">
Healthy individuals, young and old, aren’t immune either. The cause can be environmental: The <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2023/06/28/texas-prisons-heat-deaths/">Texas Tribune</a> reported that last month at least five prisoners died of heart attacks during heat waves, in a state where two-thirds of prisons lack air conditioning. Two of the men were only 34 and 35.
</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A mock prison cell made of cardboard and paper stands in front of the Texas state Capitol building in Austin, with onlookers and cameras nearby. " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rRHJm13atVez5-gxylMaT5u8lEk=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24799776/GettyImages_1541221050.jpg"/> <cite>Sergio Flores/AFP via Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>
A mock cell serves as a protest against the heat inside Texas prisons on July 18, 2023.
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</figure>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="bf99ju">
Cardiovascular failure is one reason death counts in a heat wave are highly disputed and chronically undercounted. Health researchers try to make up for the gaps in reporting by looking at excess mortality to nail down more accurate data.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="bBnNi5">
A recent study published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02419-z"><em>Nature Medicine</em></a> found that the 2022 summer heat waves led to over 60,000 deaths in Europe, with younger men and older women at higher risk. It almost broke the previous record of as many as 70,000 excess deaths across Europe in the summer of 2003. During a heat dome in the Pacific Northwest two years ago, official estimates registered a few hundred deaths, but ultimately the death toll was likely <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-36289-3#:~:text=by%20the%20heatwave.-,Human%20health,-Heatwaves%20can%20have">well over 1,000</a>.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="e7GTtr">
<strong>Respiratory</strong>
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="gJacEe">
Some of the excess mortality in a heat wave can also be blamed on more air pollution.
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Hot, sunny weather enables the chemical reactions that form ground-level ozone. Ozone reacts to lung tissue, causing what the American Lung Association <a href="https://www.lung.org/blog/heat-waves">calls</a> a “sunburn on the lungs.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="s9mdTY">
The summertime rise of ozone is a well-documented and understood phenomenon, but the data on widespread health impacts in a heat wave is usually mixed. In the UK, hospitals <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(18)30338-2/fulltext">have reported</a> a spike in respiratory admissions in summer heat waves, and a report looking at hospitals in Finland found that heat waves between 2001 and 2017 were associated with <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7663418/">a 20 percent rise</a> in hospital admissions for respiratory illness like pneumonia.
</p>
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Air temperature doesn’t just affect what’s in the air, but also how it moves. “Heat domes” have become more common weather patterns, trapping air pollution in stagnant air in the lower atmosphere. An analysis by Climate Central of federal air data back to 1973 found that high summer temperatures <a href="https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/summer-heat-means-stagnant-air">closely correlate</a> with more stagnant air. It’s only getting worse. “As the climate warms, stagnant days are projected to increase further, with up to 40 more days per year by late-century,” according to the outlet.
</p>
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Heat waves make for poor air quality in even more indirect ways. Heat dries up the soil, contributing to drought, and in turn creating the perfect conditions for a wildfire to spark and spread. Wildfires are the main contributor to another dangerous air pollutant, particulate matter, which is tracked by the EPA’s <a href="https://www.vox.com/climate/23769186/bad-air-quality-index-wildfires-pollution">Air Quality Index</a>.
</p>
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<strong>Pregnancy</strong>
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="kMBSzb">
Extreme heat <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9300488/">affects the pregnant person</a> as well as the fetus, and exposure is linked to premature birth and low birthweight. It also <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/repro/heat.html">strains</a> their cardiovascular system, which is already in overdrive during pregnancy.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="yhLOGy">
Since a pregnant person has a harder time cooling down, it’s more likely for them to experience symptoms like fatigue, muscle cramping, dizziness, and dehydration, which can lead to more life-threatening conditions like heatstroke.
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The effects of heat are also unequal across pregnant populations. Black women faced the most risk associated with higher temperatures, being more likely to have a preterm birth when researchers studied 60,000 births in California between 1996 and 2006. The study, and a 2018 follow-up, found about a 9 percent increase in deliveries before 37 weeks for every 10-degree rise in weekly outdoor temperatures, according to <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/zahrahirji/coronavirus-pregnant-health-heat">BuzzFeed News</a>.
</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A view from inside the back of the ambulance shows several officials and paramedics lifting a pregnant woman in an emergency chair into the back on a ramp." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/SKLeal1teOLTp9h7v53vWNHuVJU=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24799781/GettyImages_1556831066.jpg"/> <cite>Brandon Bell/Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>
A pregnant woman suffering from dehydration is loaded onto an ambulance in Texas on July 19, 2023.
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</figure>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="G26mJ2">
A wider literature review, published in the journal <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m3811"><em>BMJ</em></a> in 2020, found that across 24 countries, every 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter led to a 5 percent increase in preterm birth and a 5 percent increase in stillbirth. Longer periods of abnormally high heat raised the risk even more.
</p>
<h3 id="yqQPHe">
How does hot weather affect our sleep?
</h3>
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Heat is, somewhat counterintuitively, deadliest overnight.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="AWvLyp">
Our internal body temperature naturally drops at night to help us fall asleep; the body achieves this by moving some of its core heat <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/sleep-disruption-heat-wave/">to the hands and feet</a>. The air temperature affects how well the body manages this process. So not being able to cool down makes the heart work harder all over again, after an entire day of added strain.
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In theory, nighttime should be a respite for the body to recover. But climate change is making summer nights <a href="https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2019/7/19/20700662/heat-wave-2019-health-new-york-washington">warm up</a> even faster than days. “In general, since records began in 1895, summer overnight low temperatures are warming at a rate nearly twice as fast as afternoon high temperatures for the US and the 10 warmest summer minimum temperatures have all occurred since 2002,” according to the <a href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/national-climate-201808">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a>. The effect is more pronounced in urban <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ6fSHr5TJg">heat islands</a>, where concrete, asphalt, and steel radiate heat back, keeping temperatures artificially high overnight.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="1HEXGp">
Our sleep quality is closely associated with temperature, too. You can toss and turn on a hot night as deep sleep suffers. A hotter room is associated with shorter REM sleep, which is tenuously linked to motor skills, memory formation, and regulating emotions.
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<h3 id="476HPK">
What’s the emotional and mental toll?
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="5vJv7T">
Heat can affect a lot more than physical health. Research shows learning, emotions, stress, and anxiety can all suffer when it’s hot. Exactly what’s driving this, though, is much harder to pin down. With the age-old warning about not confusing correlation with causation in mind, consider some alternative theories: It could be that poor sleep quality is causing a lot of these problems; that there’s some other bodily process scientists don’t fully understand; that the stress of coping with heat and paying high AC bills causes extra anxiety; or that other things about society’s annual rhythms are making these problems more pronounced.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="r1B0om">
Still, a large body of research shows a correlation between heat and well-being. <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2789481?guestAccessKey=689710a0-a6a0-483c-809d-0a93fb2e49ab&amp;utm_source=For_The_Media&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=ftm_links&amp;utm_content=tfl&amp;utm_term=022322">ER visits</a> and suicide rates go up when temperatures are high, which suggests that <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Health/extreme-heat-affect-mental-health/story?id=101230632">there are a lot more people struggling</a> who go unreported. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/07/16/two-new-studies-warn-that-hotter-world-will-be-more-violent-one/">Violent crime</a> also becomes more frequent in hotter months.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="AkImg0">
Heat also impacts learning. A study that compared test scores of more than 144 million students on a standardized international exam and 270 million exam scores of US students found days above 80 degrees affected academic performance. “Temperature has been shown to affect working memory, stamina and cognitive performance, and to lead individuals to reduce time spent engaging in labour activities,” the researchers <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/rising-temperatures-undermine-academic-success-and-equity/">wrote</a>. “This suggests that … heat may directly affect students’ capacity to learn or teachers’ ability and willingness to teach.”
</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A woman sits under a shaded bus stop, with an orange umbrella resting next to her." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NgXnw3DUjrxKw5T4OMvH3ZdUJgo=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24799788/GettyImages_1541675941.jpg"/> <cite>Brandon Bell/Getty Images</cite>
<figcaption>
A woman sits under a shaded bus stop in Phoenix, Arizona, where temperatures were above 110 degrees for at least 14 straight days in July.
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</figure>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="4gB0xi">
There’s even evidence showing that people’s decision-making at all levels of society may change in heat waves. A 2019 <a href="https://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/app.20170223">study published</a> in the<em> American Economic Journal: Applied Economics</em> found that 266 US immigration judges made harsher judgments when temperatures were higher, even if they were issuing them from the comfort of a climate-controlled courtroom. After controlling for other factors, the researchers found “a 10°F degree increase in case-day temperature reduces decisions favorable to the applicant by 6.55 percent.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="xnchUr">
Some work has also found that individuals’ <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0003687017300546?via%3Dihub">perception of risk changes</a> when they are in a hotter environment, especially if they haven’t had the weeks needed to <a href="https://www.vox.com/climate/2023/4/14/23677907/spring-summer-heat-climate-change-india-bangladesh-thailand">adjust or acclimatize</a>. In other words, when caught off guard by heat, people seem to be more likely to engage in riskier behavior.
</p>
<h3 id="OUcFww">
The toll that research fails to capture: the “human face of heat”
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="m3rLq5">
Heat harms mental, emotional, and physical health, but we have even fewer answers for how much these impacts could be minimized if we only responded differently.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="zaclEH">
“You see more social scientists working with climate scientists, architects, and designers [on heat research],” said Daniel Vecellio, a climate and health scholar at George Mason University. “There’s behavioral issues, mental health, and medical issues. You need a coupled approach [to address] the very complex questions of human behavior.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="gMh0SC">
What’s happening inside people’s homes is the biggest mystery of them all. Shandas <a href="https://www.portland.gov/pbem/documents/indoor-temperature-assessment-final-report/download">worked on a study</a> for the city of Portland, Oregon, placing sensors in 53 homes last year, and found that even with the AC running at full blast through the night, temperatures in public housing were not getting below 85 degrees.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="noYQul">
“We don’t have temperature measurements of indoor spaces,” Shandas said. “We don’t have the behavioral response. We open cooling centers, we provide water bottles, and we put misters in places. But we really don’t know what humans, specifically who are a bit more sensitive or have difficulty coping, are doing in the heat.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="RrJUWR">
Officials are flying blind in responding to a heat wave more often than they’d like to admit, even though there might be more effective immediate interventions. People may benefit far more by getting direct assistance so they can pay their energy bills in the summertime.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="2SClGz">
Even if we learn all the answers to what’s happening to the body in a heat wave, Shandas said we still don’t understand “a lot of the human face of heat,” as in, how people actually cope. What scientists do understand is that this is just the beginning of these consequences playing out on a global scale. It’s only going to get hotter from here.
</p></li>
<li><strong>This summer’s biggest hit? The Barbie marketing team.</strong> -
<figure>
<img alt="Margot Robbie smiling and raising her gloved hand to shade her eyes." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JZWXb59JI_NM5hS2aGZ8KKE3WdU=/480x0:4747x3200/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72471363/GettyImages_1530566866.0.jpg"/>
<figcaption>
Margot Robbie, who plays the titular character in <em>Barbie</em>, at the film’s world premiere. | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Brand collabs and Barbenheimer memes catapulted Barbie hype to new heights.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="qmtnUB">
The fact is, it’ll be nearly impossible for <a href="https://www.vox.com/e/23564794"><em>Barbie</em></a> to live up to its hype. Just as perfection only exists as an ideal never quite made flesh, Greta Gerwig’s desperately anticipated film based on the blonde plastic doll will necessarily disappoint some when the fantasy of its stunning promotion gives way to the reality of seeing the actual movie. That’s the double-edged sword of so much frenzied buzz.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="rCizRx">
A kind of mob hysteria has taken hold of us in the past few months: the people are demanding cinematic Barbie — the version artfully masterminded by an esteemed auteur director, starring two beautiful and seriously regarded actors. But of course, <em>Barbie</em> fever is in many ways manufactured mania, with the backing of a Hollywood blockbuster marketing budget. <em>Barbie</em>’s total marketing spend hasn’t been confirmed, but it’s not uncommon for big studios to fork over $100 million or more on major releases (according to Deadline, global marketing for <a href="https://deadline.com/2023/05/little-mermaid-box-office-profit-loss-halle-bailey-1235383099/"><em>The Little Mermaid</em> cost around $140 million</a>.) After a few <a href="https://www.vox.com/22380021/movie-theaters-covid-reopening">extremely shaky years for moviegoing</a>, studios are ramping up to <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/movie-marketing-spends-summer-films-1235142253/">blowout ad campaigns</a> again.
</p>
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<div id="0p1nmd">
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The biggest stars of <em>Barbie</em> arguably aren’t Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken but the movie’s uncanny marketing team, which has worked overtime to ensure the doll, movie, and brand are inescapable this summer. They’ve acquired an almost mythic stature, spawning <a href="https://twitter.com/syhmihirn/status/1676410741593882624">memes</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/mattstasoff/status/1673700522904150016">parodies</a> of their terrifying prowess. Never mind all the traditional advertising you might see on the street or on TV, as well as the magazine covers, talk show interviews, and Margot Robbie’s to-die-for red carpet outfits that come with a press tour (a tour, however, that has been interrupted by the <a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2023/7/13/23793828/sag-aftra-strike-wga-hollywood">WGA/SAG-AFTRA double strike</a>). No, this Barbie is all about securing brand deals.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="MPLuK4">
The amount of <em>Barbie</em> film branded merch is pretty mind-numbing. You could build an entire closet out of them: A collection with Gap, Barbie x Bloomingdales, hot pink roller suitcases with luxury <a href="https://beistravel.com/collections/the-barbie-collection">luggage brand Beis</a>, a capsule collection with sneaker brand Superga, more makeup and skin care sets than we’re willing to count, accessories with Fossil, even a full-on assortment of clothes and accessories at Hot Topic, which has in recent years become a bastion for feeding fandom obsession and millennial nostalgia. (Also important to note that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHXHmdDC8AU">Trisha Paytas</a> did a haul vid of every Hot Topic x Barbie piece). Furniture brand Joybird has a slate of <a href="https://joybird.com/collaborations/barbie/#catalog/barbie-x-joybird">Barbie Dreamhouse-inspired seating</a> to adorn your home. In Brazil, there’s even a limited-edition Barbie cheeseburger from Burger King that’s dressed with a <a href="https://hypebeast.com/2023/7/burger-king-brazil-barbie-burger-announcement-info">disturbingly pink sauce</a>.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="GomXY3">
There were some standout moments, like the blindingly neon Barbie rollerblades from Impala Skate, which went viral after the <a href="https://people.com/movies/margot-robbie-ryan-gosling-rollerblade-barbie-movie/">set photos leaked</a>. An <a href="https://scarlettentertainment.com/us/latest-news/rollerblading-troupe-parade-with-pride-to-promote-new-barbie-movie">army of rollerbladers</a> wearing those exact skates promoted the movie at New York City Pride this year. Or take the surprise reveal of a Barbie Dreamhouse in Malibu, bookable on Airbnb. There’s a Barbie Xbox that looks like a little dollhouse (though, personally, a Barbie-pink edition of the Nintendo Switch would have been way more enticing). If your brand exists in 2023, chances are you did some kind of Barbie collab: a Bumble event featuring <a href="https://bumble.com/en/the-buzz/bumble-barbie-compliments">online dating tips from Barbie and Ken</a>; a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S37bmOzH8c4">Progressive Insurance commercial</a> set in the Barbieverse; a <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/barbie-movie-roku-takeover-1235533856/?blaid=4801874">redesigned Roku City</a> featuring Barbie’s Dreamhouse and a movie theater marquee advertising the film. A Barbie <a href="https://www.barbieselfie.ai/">selfie generator</a> went somewhat viral a few months back. Google any keywords related to the film right now, and watch the search engine’s typically staid colors turn pink, with pink sparkles raining down the screen.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="iflqOB">
What stands out for brand strategist Moshe Isaacian is how much of the promo around the film has savvily drawn on “what makes Barbie and the movie iconic,” he tells Vox — such as the rollerblades. In a viral Twitter thread listing Barbie’s copious brand tie-ins, Isaacian <a href="https://twitter.com/MosheIsaacian/status/1673415496929267712">noted</a>, “The devil works hard, but <span class="citation" data-cites="Barbie">@Barbie</span>’s marketing team is INSANE.”
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Icwuga">
But all that hustle seems poised to pay off. <a href="https://slate.com/culture/2005/07/the-secretive-research-group-that-helps-run-the-movie-business.html">National Research Group</a>, which releases box office projections, is now expecting <em>Barbie</em> to make <a href="https://twitter.com/MattBelloni/status/1680989058481401856">$110 million in its opening weekend</a>. (Meanwhile, rival <em>Oppenheimer’s</em> projections are a more modest $49 million.) To compare that with other blockbuster openers, <em>Top Gun: Maverick</em> <a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/box-office/top-gun-maverick-box-office-opening-weekend-tom-cruise-1235280787/">banked $124 million</a> in its domestic opening weekend. Over $100 million in the first three days is pretty impressive for a film about a popular child’s toy that’s aimed at adults — though we do live in a world where the <em>Super Mario Bros.</em> movie <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/box-office/super-mario-bros-movie-surpasses-frozen-second-biggest-animated-film-1235632448/">destroyed box office records</a>. Not unlike <em>Barbie</em>, <em>Super Mario Bros.</em> also snared a lot of brand deals in the lead-up to its release: a mushroom-heavy <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2023/3/31/23663485/shake-shack-dumbo-super-mario-bros">Shake Shack menu</a> and a line of body care products with Lush Cosmetic, just to name two.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="1yRML0">
Isaacian says that such quirky, at times outlandish brand tie-ins are a callback to how big and bold movie marketing was in the ’90s — like the now-coveted <a href="https://www.mashed.com/223865/the-untold-truth-of-mcdonalds-szechuan-sauce/">McDonald’s Szechuan sauce</a>, which was originally released to promote Disney’s <em>Mulan</em>. “What we’re seeing [that’s] different is that with <em>Barbie</em>, it’s not about getting all this movie marketing to sell Barbie toys,” says Isaacian. “It’s to bring what Barbie stands for to our real world.”
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="hMVDuT">
“It’s been appealing to the gamers, it’s been appealing for people who like collecting stuff for their home, people who love skating, and shoes,” he continued. That’s a large part of the appeal — the world of Barbie has always been hyper-surreal fantasy. A doll living in a perfect world, who jumps from career to career with no barriers in her way and a million friends by her side. A doll whose feet literally never quite touch the ground. With each new piece of <em>Barbie</em> promo, we’re asked to imagine, what if it were all real and possible? Wouldn’t la vie en rose be so delightful?
</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="aFim3N"/>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="APHFcC">
Gerwig’s <em>Barbie</em>, with its tongue-in-cheek tone and PG-13 rating, is not for young children. It’s camp that promises to hit hardest for adults of a certain generation — with a cast that includes Helen Mirren, Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Michael Cera, and Rhea Perlman.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="rnh9dl">
Beyond the tangible Barbie logo stuff stans can buy, much of the promo has targeted a kind of digital culture cachet — catnip for adults who keep tabs on art, design, and whatever the latest vibe shift is. Of course there was an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKgaVlMN7IY">Architectural Digest tour</a> of Barbie’s house. The alleged discovery of Margot Robbie’s <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2022/05/margot-robbie-letterboxd-account-found-deleted.html">secret Letterboxd list</a> of films to watch for <em>Barbie</em> (with the likes of Jacques Demy’s <em>The Umbrellas of Cherbourg</em> appearing on it) set cinephiles trembling. Recently, Gerwig did an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2rNnOGfmv0">actual interview with Letterboxd</a> of her “official <em>Barbie</em> watchlist” (it did in fact include <em>Umbrellas</em>). The very fact that it’s a project helmed by Gerwig — whose past work includes <em>Little Women</em>, <em>Lady Bird</em>, <em>Frances Ha</em> — with a screenplay co-written with Noah Baumbach, was an absurd enough premise to draw an audience in. With their names attached, there’s been a permeating sense that the film is bound to be subversive, boundary-breaking, a technicolor acid trip. Axios reports that almost <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/07/06/barbie-movie-marketing-power">half a million <em>Barbie</em> pieces</a> have been published in 2023 — reports, essays, takes, odes to all that Barbie means in the culture — like this <a href="https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-hyperfeminine-aesthetics-barbie-draw-contemporary-art">Artsy deep dive</a> into the film’s “hyperfeminine” kitsch. Tumblr and Instagram accounts dedicated to aesthetic film stills will be eating good off Gerwig’s <em>Barbie</em> for decades.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Q7zh5e">
It’s also coming at more or less the right time, in the <a href="https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/12/10204376/tiktok-bimbo-gen-z-trend">post-bimbo wave</a> of <a href="https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/bimbo">pop culture theory</a>, which says that there’s actually no need to choose between hyperfemininity, in whatever forms we typically conceive of it (like, for example, wearing a lot of pink) and being taken seriously as a smart, competent person — that was always an illusory choice anyway. Meanwhile, the platonic ideal of a man is pretty much Ken, a himbo who displays an unpracticed wisdom, and impeccable taste, through his total awe and adoration of the Barbie in his life. You see, he’s the polar opposite of a dude who’ll smugly observe that you’re not like the other girls. A few years earlier, and Gerwig’s <em>Barbie</em> might not have seemed so cool; a few years later, it could have felt extremely stale.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="d5hSrR">
And then there are the memes. <em>Barbie</em> fever isn’t just driven by nostalgia or Gerwig heads or the prospect of a big theater-worthy event to look forward to after the lean pandemic years. Hype itself is the energizing pleasure, a wink and nod that you’re in on the joke. The biggest catalyst, without a doubt, is the fortuitous fact that Christopher Nolan’s gritty biopic <em>Oppenheimer</em>, about the man who created the atomic bomb, is <a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/23789864/barbenheimer-barbieheimer-barbie-oppenheimer-release-memes-double-feature">opening on the same day as <em>Barbie</em></a>. On social media, there’s been <a href="https://twitter.com/bootcutgenes/status/1673425723913109506">joke after</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_sivi/status/1668318577923858435?s=20">joke</a> about the movie’s made-up rivalry. People are arguing about the correct itinerary for what amounts to summiting Mount Everest in terms of moviegoing this summer: the Barbie-Oppenheimer Double Feature. We have to ask ourselves, would <em>Barbie</em> thirst as we know it today <a href="https://twitter.com/itspastiche/status/1673757738218692622">exist without <em>Oppenheimer</em></a>? If the Extremely Online writers and meme purveyors weren’t so tickled by the situational irony of it?
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="FYBIju">
To be clear, the online memes have spilled over into the real world. <em>Barbie</em>’s virality has taken on a life of its own, growing into a self-sustaining creature that no marketing team on Earth could predict or wrangle. I actually don’t know many people are clamoring to buy Barbie merch — but, according to AMC, <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/features/barbenheimer-fans-barbie-oppenheimer-double-features-1235665491/">over 40,000 people</a> have bought tickets to both <em>Barbie</em> and <em>Oppenheimer</em> this weekend (somewhere in the world, Nicole Kidman is <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/davidmack/nicole-kidman-amc-ad">beaming with pride</a>). I went to a Barbie-themed birthday party last weekend, the first in my life, adult or child. A few weeks ago at the Soho REI store, among the Camelbaks and carabiners, employees were conducting a poll asking customers whether they were seeing <em>Barbie</em> or <em>Oppenheimer</em> first. (An REI spokesperson confirmed that the company wasn’t a part of either film’s marketing campaigns.)
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="EDay5B">
We’ve talked each other’s ears off about the movie for free — a thing that no marketing strategy, no matter how savvy or well-funded, could buy. The real <em>Barbie</em> (2023) was all the friends we made along the way.
</p></li>
<li><strong>Vox, the far-right party making gains in Spain, explained</strong> -
<figure>
<img alt="Vice President Javier Ortega Smith wears a white dress shirt and holds up the left side of a light green Vox campaign poster. " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/POloUS2450cw_Ex3-L-tCbRndwk=/27x0:4404x3283/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72471305/1557991101.0.jpg"/>
<figcaption>
Vice President Javier Ortega Smith helps paste up Vox voting posters during a tour of different streets in the center of Pontevedra, on July 20, 2023, in Galicia, Spain. | Beatriz Ciscar/Europa Press/Getty Images
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The country’s upcoming elections could see a hard-right party enter national government for the first time in generations.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="lOPOoD">
<a href="https://www.vox.com/world/2019/4/27/18514497/spain-elections-vox-psoe-pedro-sanchez">After its July 23 national elections, Spain</a> could be partially governed by a far-right party for the first time in generations.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="swCXnZ">
It’s a development that would be significant both for Spain <a href="https://www.vox.com/world/2022/9/24/23366464/italy-elections-meloni-sweden-europe-far-right">— and the rest of Europe.</a> Domestically, it would mean that Vox, the country’s hard-right party, could help influence policy, advancing harsh attacks on <a href="https://www.vox.com/lgbtq">LGBTQ</a> people, women, and migrants. Broadly, it would also send a message outside Spanish borders, adding to the victories of the far right in places like <a href="https://www.vox.com/politics/2023/6/26/23774334/greek-elections-new-democracy-spartans">Greece</a>, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65926194">Finland,</a> and <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63029909">Italy</a> in the last year.
</p>
<aside id="lFYNSF">
<div>
</div>
</aside>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="pDRcKn">
Ever since the demise of the ultranationalist dictatorship of Francisco Franco in the 1970s, Spanish voters have been <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/08/world/europe/far-right-parties-are-rising-to-power-around-europe-is-spain-next.html">hesitant to give the far right federal power</a>. That this could change in the coming elections signals how much ground the movement has gained in Spain and elsewhere.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="kGnKPO">
<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spains-right-verge-majority-general-election-polls-2023-07-17/">According to polls</a>, the July 23 elections are likely to see unpopular center-left Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez voted out and a new conservative coalition government voted in. While the center-right Partido Popular (PP) — home to Spain’s traditional conservatives — is set to win the most legislative seats, it’s not poised to get enough to secure the outright majority needed to form a government. As a result, it will likely need the help of Vox, and the seats that the hard-right party is able to secure, in order to set up a coalition.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="VjlxtJ">
That puts Vox in the position of becoming PP’s “junior partner” in government, a role that will give it influence over key leadership positions in the administration and a much bigger platform to tout hard-line immigration <a href="https://www.vox.com/policy">policies</a> as well as misogynistic and homophobic views.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="p5zxFL">
“If the party were to enter into government as a junior partner to … PP, I would expect the party to push the government toward the right on a whole host of issues, including social justice, gay rights, and gender parity,” Omar Encarnación, a Bard politics professor who studies Spain, told Vox.
</p>
<h3 id="8wACZQ">
What is Vox (Spain’s version)?
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="gO2UxC">
The two largest parties in Spain are PP, which is running Parliament member Alberto Núñez Feijóo for prime minister, and the center-left Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE), which is running Sánchez for reelection.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="rrM2CJ">
As <a href="https://www.vox.com/world/2019/4/27/18514497/spain-elections-vox-psoe-pedro-sanchez">Vox’s Jen Kirby has previously explained</a>, discontent with how these two parties handled the 2008 financial crisis and a subsequent austerity program, as well as conservative blowback toward the Basque and Catalonian push for independence, led to the emergence of several smaller political parties, including Unidos Podemos on the left, and Vox on the right.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="6ortNE">
As <a href="https://www.vox.com/world/2019/4/27/18514497/spain-elections-vox-psoe-pedro-sanchez">Kirby writes: </a>
</p>
<blockquote>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="f0sOb1">
The Vox party was officially launched <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-spain-politics/spanish-ruling-party-rebels-launch-new-conservative-party-idUSBREA0F1HM20140116">in January 2014</a>. Breakaway members of the center-right PP formed the party, disgruntled by what they viewed as the PP’s lackluster economic policies and weak response to separatists in Catalonia and the Basque country.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="ypIjm5">
Vox shares similarities with other far-right movements in Europe, such as the National Front in France or Alternatives for Deutschland (AfD) in Germany. Vox is <a href="https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/02/18/inenglish/1550506982_047374.html">anti-immigrant</a>, anti-Muslim, and skeptical of elements of the <a href="https://www.vox.com/european-union">EU</a>. It is also very conservative on issues like <a href="https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/03/20/inenglish/1553076032_593854.html">LGBT</a> rights, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2019/04/spain-vox-feminism/587824/">abortion, and women’s rights</a>.
</p>
</blockquote>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="9UdzmI">
Vox’s platform is founded heavily on nationalism and a return to “tradition” on social issues: The Spanish nation, to hear the party tell it, should prioritize its residents and practices like bullfighting rather than welcoming migrants, should be skeptical of efforts to advance gender equity, and should be actively opposed to LGBTQ rights, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-spain-politics-vox-lgbt/far-right-vox-challenges-spains-acceptance-of-lgbt-rights-idUSKCN1SU1OC">including gay marriage</a>. Key stances Vox has championed include claiming that <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230623-spain-s-right-rattled-by-row-over-macho-violence">gender violence</a> doesn’t exist, pushing to <a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/world/spain-election-lgbti-law/">reverse a trans rights law</a> that just took effect this year, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spains-far-right-party-vox-would-law-allowing-abortion-2023-07-07/#:~:text=Spain's%20far%2Dright%20party%20Vox%20proposed%20abolishing%20the%20current%20laws,election%20manifesto%20published%20on%20Friday.">banning abortion</a>, and closing shelters housing foreign minors.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="CrFKtV">
A campaign poster in Madrid captures the party’s stances: In it, a hand can be seen throwing symbols that represent women’s empowerment and LGBTQ rights into the trash.
</p>
<div id="11mPS4">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" dir="ltr" lang="es">
Vox despliega una lona en Madrid contra contra el feminismo, independentismo, el lobby LGTBIQ+ y la Agenda 2030. <a href="https://t.co/PKNlFQfcQ3">pic.twitter.com/PKNlFQfcQ3</a>
</p>
— Wall Street Wolverine (<span class="citation" data-cites="wallstwolverine">@wallstwolverine</span>) <a href="https://twitter.com/wallstwolverine/status/1670427043312312320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2023</a>
</blockquote></div></li>
</ul>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="G7ryry">
Vox’s prominence has grown since the party’s founding less than a decade ago. Part of that, again, was reactionary: A newly emerged class of nationalists and ultranationalists were looking for a political home amid the backlash to separatist movements in Catalonia and the Basque region. Vox also gained steam as a rise in migration from non-white Middle Eastern and African countries has increased in recent years due to conflict in these regions.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="TF2zXA">
Additionally, experts tie the rise of Vox to economic anxieties some Spaniards have: “There are cost-of-living issues, the fear of being left behind by tech and digital transformations, shifts in the economy and workforce,” says Jörn Fleck, a Europe expert at the Atlantic Council. Vox promises it can solve these problems, giving voters a “Spain First” message and pledging to invest in industries like the country’s <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/climate-change-spain-andalucia-far-right-vox-election-2022/">agricultural</a> sector.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="B8jusz">
But it often ties those ideas to <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/climate-change-spain-andalucia-far-right-vox-election-2022/">anti-immigrant, anti-Islam</a>, and anti-LGBTQ stances. And now, those views are poised to help shape Spanish policy.
</p>
<h3 id="1t0npW">
Is Vox really going to be part of the Spanish government? How’d that happen?
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="nmFKJa">
Vox finds itself on the verge of federal power not because it’s widely popular but because <a href="https://apnews.com/article/spain-regional-local-elections-3eeb96fa34bc1f8a54d15f2507a44a25">discontent with Sánchez’s government</a> has created an opening for the center-right to return to power — but PP likely won’t have the numbers to govern on its own.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="19zhoO">
While Sánchez has had some policy wins as prime minister, including lowering inflation, he’s also faced pushback. Votes from a left-wing Basque separatist party helped him get through major labor and housing reforms, for instance, but his alignment with the group — which includes people convicted of armed violence and terrorism — has prompted backlash from some voters, among other issues.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="xaY1as">
After his party struggled in regional elections this spring, Sánchez called early elections.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="3OOaXL">
But for any party to take control of the government unilaterally, it needs 176 of 350 seats in Spain’s lower house of Parliament. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spains-right-verge-majority-general-election-polls-2023-07-17/">Recent surveys show PP securing roughly 140 seats</a> and Vox projected to win roughly 36 seats, a combined total that could clear the threshold needed. Of Spain’s political parties, Vox is the most likely partner for the Popular Party as the other major options are left-leaning.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="uvfAam">
That doesn’t mean Vox is broadly welcome in national government: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/10/spaniards-worried-about-far-right-vox-party-sharing-power-poll-finds">Sixty percent of Spaniards</a> have said in a recent Ipsos poll they are worried about it being part of a coalition. And thus far, it’s estimated to only get about 10 percent of seats in the upcoming election, per recent surveys.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="JsU5xW">
Still, if it’s able to become a junior partner, that could do a lot to normalize the party and its extreme views. The support it received in regional May elections, for example, allowed it to join coalition governments in several autonomous regions including Valencia and Extremadura. That gave Vox a foothold and legitimacy it had previously struggled to achieve.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="6nWSL3">
“Leaders across Spain said they wouldn’t get in bed with Vox,” says Johns Hopkins University Iberian Studies professor Bécquer Seguín. “Within a two-three week span, every single one of them flipped.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="r7X9Bc">
The July 23 elections could mark some of Vox’s most substantial inroads yet. The party first picked up 24 legislative seats in the April 2019 election, a number it went on to double when another snap election was held in November 2019.
</p>
<h3 id="SlbBHS">
What would Vox coming into power mean for Spain?
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="0uWV80">
If the PP were to form a governing coalition with Vox’s members, it’s not clear exactly what that arrangement would include. But it could lead to the incorporation of some of Vox’s hard-line views on immigration, abortion, and LGBTQ rights in the administration’s approach to governance.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="oOqPu8">
As a junior partner, “Vox would be entitled to make petitions upon the PP, like controlling ministries or adopting some of its electoral agenda,” Encarnación told Vox. “Spain at the moment has a coalition government in place led by the Socialist party in coalition with Podemos, a left-populist party. As part of that coalition, Podemos controlled several ministries, including labor, and at one point it had the vice-presidency.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="OQcjf2">
Overall though, a coalition could include some discomfort for both parties. Many of Vox’s policy positions are viewed as extreme even by leaders in the conservative Popular Party.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Z3mlnv">
“Gender violence does not exist, macho violence does not exist,” José María Llanos, the <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230623-spain-s-right-rattled-by-row-over-macho-violence">head of Vox in Valencia</a>, has said. Already, Vox’s wins at the local level have spurred policy changes that incorporate elements of their nationalistic and traditional ideology.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="QFjze2">
A town in eastern Spain has <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spanish-town-ban-lgbt-flag-after-far-right-vox-takes-power-2023-06-21/#:~:text=MADRID%2C%20June%2021%20(Reuters),there%20in%20recent%20local%20elections.">banned the use of the pride flag</a> in public places following the election of a Vox-aligned mayor there. And another <a href="https://ground.news/article/censorship-continues-pp-and-vox-ban-a-film-in-bezana-because-of-a-kiss-between-two-women">town in Northern Spain</a> has barred the screening of a <a href="https://www.vox.com/disney">Disney</a> film about Buzz Lightyear because it includes a same-sex kiss.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="katuEM">
A top leader for the PP, Esteban González Pons, told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/08/world/europe/far-right-parties-are-rising-to-power-around-europe-is-spain-next.html">the New York Times</a> that the party does not support Vox’s views on gay marriage or violence toward women, describing them as “red lines.” Pons also described Vox as anti-Europe and in favor of movements like Brexit, something PP opposes. Climate is perhaps another area where the two groups disagree, with Vox denying that human-made <a href="https://www.vox.com/climate">climate change</a> exists, and PP taking a slightly more moderate approach.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="8hQ0yU">
The two do have similarities, however, with some members of the PP also pushing more restrictive immigration policies, which are often backed by leaders on the coasts. Additionally, both have used anti-trans rhetoric and signaled interest in reversing a law that <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/lgbtq-rights-are-forefront-spains-election-rcna94712">expanded trans rights</a> in the country.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="lsXy5g">
Some in the center right hope that a partnership with Vox would neutralize some of its more extreme views. But others fear that if the PP needs Vox to come into power, their coalition would give the smaller party much more credence than it previously had.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="NsQJHu">
“First, the bad scenario: We can legitimize Vox,” Pons told the New York Times. “Then, there is a second chance: We can normalize Vox … Vox will be another party, a conservative party inside of the system.”
</p>
<h3 id="lyrkMm">
What does Vox’s rise mean for Europe broadly?
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="AoRbV4">
Vox’s rise in the national elections would add to the gains that far-right parties have made across Europe in recent years and may embolden such groups further.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="ceqq3F">
“The rise of Vox in Spain cannot be separated from the global forces giving rise to right-wing populism in the developed West — including anxiety about immigration, economic insecurity, and a perceived sense of loss of national identity,” says Encarnación.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="LozViO">
The Spanish election follows races in other countries where members of the hard right also saw increased momentum. In Greece, a rebranded version of the far-right group <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/30/very-worrying-three-far-right-parties-enter-greek-parliament">Golden Dawn</a> won seats in the legislature in June. The far-right anti-immigration <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65926194">Finns Party</a> also made inroads during the Finnish election this past spring, and the alt-right Alternative for Deutschland party <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/germany-far-right-afd-wins-first-governing-post/a-66024256">won its first local election in June</a> after securing about <a href="https://www.bundestag.de/en/parliament/plenary/distributionofseats">10 percent of the Bundestag</a> in the last national elections. Any gains Vox makes could, in turn, boost the momentum of far-right efforts in other European countries as, for example, elections loom in Germany in 2024.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="xHGVhr">
Vox has been buoyed by other far-right leaders across Europe as well, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offering a fiery endorsement at a recent rally, and others, including Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, praising its positions. Spain’s relationships with these leaders could deepen if Vox secures its foothold in national government, particularly if the right’s influence over European Union politics grows.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="MIW5PA">
“Vox is openly Euro-skeptical and seems willing to violate EU norms,” says Oberlin College Hispanic studies professor Sebastiaan Faber. “But if there is a change of guard at the EU after next year’s elections, the EU itself may become much more right-leaning.”
</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>PCB unhappy with ACC president Jay Shah revealing Asia Cup schedule before official ceremony</strong> - The source said that the decision to announce the schedule by Jay Shah had spoilt the PCB’s ceremony</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>Mohammad Hafeez front-runner to become Pakistan’s chief selector</strong> - Pakistan Cricket Board’s CMC chairman Zaka Ashraf mulls bringing in a new team manager and media manager for the Asia Cup and the World Cup India.</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>Pakistani woman cricketer Ayesha Naseem, 18, announces retirement citing religion</strong> - Ayesha Naseem was once dubbed as a “serious talent” by the Pakistani great Wasim Akram.</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>Asian Games trials exemption to Phogat, Punia | Delhi High Court to pronounce order on July 22</strong> - Justice Subramonium Prasad reserved verdict on the petition by Under-20 World Champion Antim Panghal and Under-23 Asian Champion Sujeet Kalkal against the direct entry handed to Phogat and Punia.</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>Rohit Sharma surpasses M.S. Dhoni to become India’s fifth-highest run-maker in international cricket</strong> - Rohit Sharma accomplished this feat during India’s second Test against West Indies at Port of Spain</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>Awareness programmes on preventing human-animal interactions held in Udhagamandalam</strong> -</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Here are the big stories from Karnataka today</strong> - Welcome to the Karnataka Today newsletter, your guide from The Hindu on the major news stories to follow today. Curated and written by Nalme Nachiyar.</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>NIA, J&amp;K Police raid home of Hizbul terrorist in Kishtwar</strong> - The raids were conducted at Riyaz’s home.</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>Transgender parents’ plea for birth certificate showing them as parents instead of father and mother</strong> -</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>After 30 years of court battle, his wait for justice continues</strong> - In 1994, a coop. bank employee appeared in court as the lone accused in a case pertaining to pilfering of 36.5 sovereigns of gold from the bank. On July 24, 2023, at a hearing on the same case, he will appear as a witness.</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>Putin may still seek revenge on Wagner boss – CIA chief</strong> - “Putin is the ultimate apostle of payback,” William Burns told the Aspen Security Forum.</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>Berlin lion: Crime family member issues plea for missing animal</strong> - The search is intensifying for a suspected wild animal in the southern outskirts of Berlin.</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>Goalkeeper Donnarumma and partner attacked and robbed in Paris</strong> - Italy and Paris St-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and his partner were targeted at their home.</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>Ukraine’s Zelensky sacks ambassador to UK Prystaiko after criticism</strong> - Vadym Prystaiko had recently criticised the Ukrainian leader’s response to a row over military aid.</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>Amsterdam bans cruise ships to limit visitors and curb pollution</strong> - It comes months after young British men were urged not to hold bachelor parties in the Dutch capital.</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>The ‘90s Internet: When 20 hours online triggered an email from my ISP’s president</strong> - 1998 plea for restraint reveals a lost world where the ’Net was an opt-in experience. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1952396">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Rocket Report: Space Force to pick three; Pythom strikes back</strong> - “With this mission we’ve made big strides toward reusability.” - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1955334">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Could there be upsides to being a psychopath?</strong> - It may be that all of us have a little psychopathology inside—with some positives. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1955432">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>No apologies as Reddit halfheartedly tries to repair ties with moderators</strong> - Disenchanted mods Ars spoke with want change, not more communication. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1955306">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>“Church of Bleach” family guilty on all counts, plans to appeal</strong> - The family, who represented themselves, did not speak during the trial. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1955632">link</a></p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-jokes-subreddit">From Jokes Subreddit</h1>
<ul>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Barack &amp; The Donald go to the barber…</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF --></p>
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Barack Obama and Donald Trump inadvertently ended up getting a shave at the same barber shop at the same time. The barbers, wondering if things might get nasty, were nervous.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Trump’s barber was almost done and was getting ready to use an after-shave as a final touch.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Donald was quick to stop him, saying, “I’ll pass. After-shave have a strong smell. My wife Melamine will smell it and think I’ve been in a whorehouse.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The other barber then said to Barack, “How about you, Mr. Obama, any after-shave?”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Barack replied, “Sure, why not? Michelle has no idea what a whorehouse smells like.”
</p>
</div>
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Dennis_Laid"> /u/Dennis_Laid </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/155fbhi/barack_the_donald_go_to_the_barber/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/155fbhi/barack_the_donald_go_to_the_barber/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>What is it called when you buy prostitutes in bulk?</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF --></p>
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Holesale
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/seedingson"> /u/seedingson </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/155b5c5/what_is_it_called_when_you_buy_prostitutes_in_bulk/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/155b5c5/what_is_it_called_when_you_buy_prostitutes_in_bulk/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Did you hear about the math teacher who’s afraid of negative numbers?</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF --></p>
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
He will stop at nothing to avoid them.
</p>
</div>
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Reecethehawk"> /u/Reecethehawk </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/1555rvn/did_you_hear_about_the_math_teacher_whos_afraid/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/1555rvn/did_you_hear_about_the_math_teacher_whos_afraid/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Yesterday I couldn’t make out if someone was waving at me, or the person behind me.</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF --></p>
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
In other news, I just lost my job as a lifeguard.
</p>
</div>
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/VivaIbiza"> /u/VivaIbiza </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/155gu0t/yesterday_i_couldnt_make_out_if_someone_was/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/155gu0t/yesterday_i_couldnt_make_out_if_someone_was/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Yo mamas so fat….</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF --></p>
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
She starts the alphabet with O B C D
</p>
</div>
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/jerm1777"> /u/jerm1777 </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/1555zuh/yo_mamas_so_fat/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/1555zuh/yo_mamas_so_fat/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
</ul>
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