Early evidence for the safety of certain COVID-19 vaccines using empirical Bayesian modeling from VAERS -
+
+
+The advent of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 ushered in an unprecedented global response to COVID-19, with the largest and most ambitious mass vaccination campaign in human history. The scale of this effort means that safety signals suggesting adverse effects may only be detectable using passive reporting. This paper examines reports to the CDC/FDA9s VAERS system in the first six months of 2021, using an empirical Bayesian model with a gamma Poisson shrinker to identify potential safety signals from COVID-19 vaccines currently on the U.S. market. Based on this preliminary data, it is concluded that the COVID-19 vaccine9s safety significantly exceeds that of previously marketed vaccines, and other than a known risk of thrombotic events, no safety signals of concern emerge.
+
Comprehensive characterization of COVID-19 patients with repeatedly positive SARS-CoV-2 tests using a large US electronic health record database -
+
+
+Background: In the absence of genome sequencing, two positive molecular SARS-CoV-2 tests separated by negative tests, prolonged time, and symptom resolution remain the best surrogate measure of possible re-infection. Methods: Using a large electronic health record database, we characterized clinical and testing data for 23 patients with repeatedly positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test results >60 days apart, separated by >2 consecutive negative test results. Prevalence of chronic medical conditions, symptoms and severe outcomes related to COVID-19 illness were ascertained. Results: Median age was 64.5 years, 40% were Black, and 39% were female. 83% smoked within the prior year, 61% were overweight/obese, 83% had immune compromising conditions, and 96% had >2 comorbidities. Median interval between the two positive tests was 77 days. Among the 19 patients with 60-89 days between positive tests, 17 (89%) exhibited symptoms or clinical manifestations indicative of COVID-19 at the time of the second positive test and 14 (74%) were hospitalized at the second positive test. Of the four patients with >90 days between two positive tests, two had mild or no symptoms at the second positive test and one, an immune compromised patient, had a brief hospitalization at the first diagnosis, followed by ICU admission at the second diagnosis three months later. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated a high prevalence of immune compromise, comorbidities, obesity and smoking among patients with repeatedly positive SARS-CoV-2 tests. Despite limitations, including lack of semi-quantitative estimates of viral load, these data may help prioritize suspected cases of reinfection for investigation and continued surveillance.
+
SARS-COV-2 VIRUS INFECTED PATIENT IDENTIFICATION THROUGH CANINE OLFACTIVE DETECTION ON AXILLARY SWEAT SAMPLES -
+
+
+Facing the COVID-19 pandemic, testing individuals in order to promptly isolate positive people is one of the key actions. One approach to rapid testing might be to consider the olfactory capacities of trained detection dogs in order to develop a non-invasive, rapid and cheap mass detection approach, through the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) signature of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The goal of this study is to determine the individual values of sensitivity and specificity of trained dogs when performing olfactory detection of COVID-19 on axillary sweat samples. A group of 7 dogs was tested on a total of 218 samples (62 positive and 156 negative), completely unknown to the dogs, following a randomised and double-blinded protocol carried out on olfaction cone line-ups. To ensure a wide olfactory range as close as possible to operational conditions, the samples were retrieved from 13 different sites. Sensitivities vary from 87 to 94p100 for 6 dogs, and are above 90p100 for 3 of them. Only one dog, whose sensitivity was 60p100, was not selected to continue the study and enter the operational stage. Sensitivity results vary from 78 to 92p100, with 6 dogs over 85p100 and 4 over 90p100. Thanks to these results, a virtual approach of Positive and Negative Predilection Values (PPV and NPV) was designed, based on an almost perfect diagnostic tool as reference and for increasing prevalence values of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The studies to come on olfactory detection of COVID-19 by dogs will still face several challenges, but the accumulation of positive and encouraging results suggest that it may play an important part in mass COVID-19 pre-testing situations.
+
SARS-CoV-2-antibody response in health care workers after vaccination or natural infection in a longitudinal observational study -
+
+
+Background Following a year of development, several vaccines have been approved to contain the global COVID-19 pandemic. Real world comparative data on immune response following vaccination or natural infection are rare. Methods We conducted a longitudinal observational study in employees at a secondary care hospital affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Comparisons were made about the presence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunglobulin G (IgG) antibody ratio after natural infection, or vaccination with one or two doses of BioNTech/Pfizer (BNT162b2), or one dose of AstraZenca (Vaxzevria) vaccine. Results We found a 100% humoral response rate in participants after 2 doses of BNT162b2 vaccine. The antibody ratio in participants with one dose BNT162b2 and Vaxzevria did not differ significantly to those with previous PCR-confirmed infection, whereas this was significantly lower in comparison to two doses of BioNTech/Pfizer. We could not identify a correlation with previous comorbidities, obesity or age within this study. Smoking showed a negative effect on the antibody response (p=0.006) Conclusion Our data provide an overview about humoral immune response after natural SARS-CoV-2 infection or following vaccination, and supports the usage of booster vaccinations, especially in patients after a natural SARS-CoV-2 infection.
+
Modeling and reviewing analysis of the COVID-19 epidemic in Algeria with diagnostic shadow -
+
+
+In this paper, we formulate a special epidemic dynamic model to describe the transmission of COVID-19 in Algeria. We derive the threshold parameter control reproduction number (R0c ), and present the effective control reproduction number (Rc(t)) as a real-time index for evaluating the epidemic under different control strategies. Due to the limitation of the reported data, we redefine the number of accumulative confirmed cases with diagnostic shadow and then use the processed data to do the optimal numerical simulations. According to the control measures, we divide the whole research period into six stages. And then the corresponding medical resource estimations and the average effective control reproduction numbers for each stage are given. Meanwhile, we use the parameter values which are obtained from the optimal numerical simulations to forecast the whole epidemic tendency under different control strategies.
+
Seasonal variation in SARS-CoV-2 transmission in temperate climates -
+
+
+While seasonal variation has a known influence on the transmission of several respiratory viral infections, its role in SARS-CoV-2 transmission remains unclear. As previous analyses have not accounted for the implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) in the first year of the pandemic, they may yield biased estimates of seasonal effects. Building on two state-of-the-art observational models and datasets, we adapt a fully Bayesian method for estimating the association between seasonality and transmission in 143 temperate European regions. We find strong seasonal patterns, consistent with a reduction in the time-variable Rt of 42.1% (95% CI: 24.7% - 53.4%) from the peak of winter to the peak of summer. These results imply that the seasonality of SARS-CoV-2 transmission is comparable in magnitude to the most effective individual NPIs but less than the combined effect of multiple interventions.
+
Second wave of COVID-19 in India could be predicted with genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 variants coupled with epidemiological data: A tool for future -
+
+
+India has witnessed a devastating second wave of COVID-19, which peaked during the last week of April and the second week of May, 2021. We aimed to understand whether the arrival of second wave was predictable and whether it was driven by the existing SARS-CoV-2 strains or any of the emerging variants. We analyzed the monthly distribution of the genomic sequence data for SARS-CoV-2 from India and correlated that with the epidemiological data for new cases and deaths, for the corresponding period of the second wave. Our analysis shows that the first indications of arrival of the second wave were observable by January, 2021, and by March, 2021 it was clearly predictable. B.1.617 lineage variants drove the wave, particularly B.1.617.2 (a.k.a. delta variant). We propose that genomic surveillance of the SARS-CoV-2 variants augmented with epidemiological data can be a promising tool for predicting future COVID-19 waves.
+
Estimating the elevated transmissibility of the B.1.1.7 strain over previously circulating strains in England using GISAID sequence frequencies -
+
+
+The B.1.1.7 strain, also referred to as Alpha variant, is a variant strain of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The Alpha variant is considered to possess higher transmissibility compared to the strains previously circulating in England. This paper proposes a new method to estimate the selective advantage of a mutant strain over another strain using the time course of strain frequencies and the distribution of the serial interval of infections. This method allows the instantaneous reproduction numbers of infections to vary over calendar time. The proposed method also assumes that the selective advantage of a mutant strain over previously circulating strains is constant. Applying the method to SARS-CoV-2 sequence data from England, the instantaneous reproduction number of the B.1.1.7 strain was estimated to be 26.6-45.9% higher than previously circulating strains in England. This result indicates that control measures should be strengthened by 26.6-45.9% when the B.1.1.7 strain is newly introduced to a country where viruses with similar transmissibility to the preexisting strain in England are predominant.
+
The use of digitalization for micro, small and medium enterprises -
+
+As we know, the Indonesian economy experienced a deflation of 0.1% in July 2020. This occurred in the food, beverage and tobacco category, which experienced a deflation of 0.79%. and contributed 0.19% to deflation. Foodstuffs that contributed to deflation included shallots, free-range chicken, rice, garlic, cayenne pepper, and sugar. Deflation in July and August 2020 was triggered more by falling prices for a number of food, beverages, and transportation, increasing demand amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Trends in other countries show that inflation and deflation are beating supply and demand. in 4 countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Laos involving 3,831 MSME respondents explained that the contribution of MSMEs to Gross Domestic Product in these 4 countries was more than 50%. The enactment of the region had a negative impact on MSMEs, but some MSMEs continued to operate despite experiencing a decline in income of more than 40%.
+
Performance Impact of e-business use in Indonesian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) -
+
+A new business platform is a must for companies that are disrupting new media technology, especially during the Covid 19 era. However, many incumbent companies are less able to keep up with changing business trends. Anticipate all changes in the competitive climate in the digital era in carrying out the company transformation program along with the implementation of good corporate governance values to avoid oral hazards and a greater risk of failure. proposes an integrated framework that investigates interrelationships between contextual factors that influence e-business use and consequently its impact on enterprise performance among small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
+
Maximizing the Role of Digital Platforms for Medium, Small and Medium Enterprises -
+
+The role of MSMEs is big for the Indonesian economy. The government should help MSMEs to developed themselves during the Covid-19 pandemic. The best thing to do is to maximize the role of digital platforms for MSMEs so that they can collaborate with online platforms and increasing their sales.
+
The effects of non-pharmaceutical interventions on COVID-19-related mortality: A generalized synthetic control approach across 169 countries -
+
+Background: Most governments have introduced various non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) in response to the pandemic outbreak of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) since early 2020. While NPIs aim at avoiding fatalities related to COVID-19, the previous literature on their efficacy has focused on infections and on data of the first half of 2020. Still, findings of early NPI studies may be subject to underreporting and missing timeliness of reporting of cases. Moreover, the low variation in treatment timing during the first wave makes identification of robust treatment effects difficult. Methods: To circumvent problems of reporting and treatment variation, we analyse data on daily confirmed COVID-19-related deaths per capita from Our World in Data, and on 10 different NPIs from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker for 169 countries from 1st July 2020 to 31st May 2021. To identify the causal effects of introducing NPIs on COVID-19-related confirmed fatalities per capita, we apply the generalized synthetic control (GSC) method to each NPI, while controlling for the remaining NPIs, weather conditions, vaccinations, and NPI-residualized COVID-19 cases. Findings: We do not find substantial and consistent mitigating effects of any NPI under investigation on COVID-19-related deaths per capita. We see a tentative change in the trend of COVID-19-related deaths around 30 days after workplace closing, public transport closing, and stay at home rules have been implemented, but none of them exerts a statistically significant effect. Interpretation: The study enhances the literature on the effectivity of NPIs with respect to the time frame, the number of countries, and the analytical approach. The results provide further guidance to judge the proportionality of NPIs.
+
Performance Impact of e-business use in Indonesian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) -
+
+A new business platform is a must for companies that are disrupting new media technology, especially during the Covid 19 era. However, many incumbent companies are less able to keep up with changing business trends. Anticipate all changes in the competitive climate in the digital era in carrying out the company transformation program along with the implementation of good corporate governance values to avoid oral hazards and a greater risk of failure. proposes an integrated framework that investigates interrelationships between contextual factors that influence e-business use and consequently its impact on enterprise performance among small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
+
Alpha-ketoglutarate augments prolyl hydroxylase-2 mediated inactivation of phosphorylated-Akt to inhibit induced-thrombosis and inflammation -
+
+Phosphorylation of Akt (pAkt) regulates multiple physiological and pathological processes including thrombosis and inflammation. In an approach to inhibit the pathological signalling of pAkt by prolyl-hydroxylase-2 (PHD2) we employed alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG), a cofactor of PHD2. Octyl-AKG supplementation to platelets promoted PHD2 activity through elevated intracellular AKG:succinate ratio and reduced aggregation in vitro by suppressing pAkt1(Thr308). Augmented PHD2 activity was confirmed by increased hydroxylated-proline alongside enhanced binding of PHD2 to pAkt in AKG-treated platelets. Contrastingly, inhibitors of PHD2 significantly increased pAkt1 in platelets. Octyl-AKG followed similar mechanism in monocytes to inhibit cytokine secretion in vitro. Our data also describe a suppressed pAkt1 and reduced activation of platelet and leukocyte obtained from mice supplemented with dietary-AKG, unaccompanied by alteration in their counts. Dietary-AKG significantly reduced clot formation and leukocyte accumulation in various organs including lung of mice treated with thrombosis-inducing agent carrageenan. Importantly, we observed a significant rescue effect of dietary-AKG on inflamed lung of SARS-CoV-2 infected hamsters. AKG significantly reduced leukocyte accumulation, clot formation and viral load alongside downmodulation of pAkt in lung of the infected animals. Therefore, our study suggests a safe implementation of dietary-AKG in prevention of Akt-driven anomalies including thrombosis and inflammation, highlighting a better pulmonary management in COVID-19.
+
The effect of obesity-related traits on COVID-19 severe respiratory symptoms is mediated by socioeconomic status: a multivariable Mendelian randomization study -
+
+
+Background Obesity has been associated with more severe clinical manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, this association can be affected by many correlates of these traits. Due to its large impact on human health, socioeconomic status (SES) could at least partially influence the association between obesity and COVID-19 severity. To estimate the independent effect of traits related to body size and SES on the clinical manifestations of COVID-19, we conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR) study analyzing the effect of obesity-related anthropometric traits on COVID-19 outcomes. Methods Applying two-sample MR approaches, we evaluated the effects of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference, (HIP) and waist-hip ratio (WHR) studied in up to 234,069 participants from the Genetic Investigation of ANthropometric Traits (GIANT) consortium with respect to three COVID-19 outcomes: severe respiratory COVID-19 (5,101 cases vs. 1,383,241 controls), hospitalized COVID-19 (9,986 cases vs. 1,877,672 controls), and COVID-19 infection (38,984 cases vs. 1,644,784 controls) obtained from the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative (HGI). Finally, to test the effect of SES using multivariable MR methods, we analyzed genetic data related to self-reported household income (HI) information from 286,301 UK Biobank (UKB) participants. Results BMI and WC were associated with severe respiratory COVID-19 (BMI: OR = 1.68 p = 0.0004; WC: OR = 1.72, p = 0.007) and COVID-19 hospitalization (BMI: OR= 1.62, p = 1.35e-06; WC: OR = 1.62, p = 0.0001). Also, HIP influenced hospitalized COVID-19 (OR = 1.31, p = 0.012) and COVID-19 infection (OR = 1.18, p = 0.002). Conversely, HI was associated with lower odds of severe respiratory COVID-19 (OR = 0.57, p = 0.011) and hospitalized COVID-19 (OR = 0.71, p = 0.045). Testing these effects in multivariable MR models, we observed that the effect of these obesity-related anthropometric traits on COVID-19 outcomes is not independent of SES effect assessed as HI. Conclusions Our findings indicate that low SES is a contributor to the observed association between body size and COVID-19 outcomes.
+
Ivermectin Treatment Efficacy in Covid-19 High Risk Patients - Condition: COVID-19 Intervention: Drug: Ivermectin 0.4mg/kg/day for 5 days Sponsor: Clinical Research Centre, Malaysia Not yet recruiting
+
To Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of TQ Formula in Covid-19 Participants - Condition: Covid19 Intervention: Drug: Black Seed Oil Cap/Tab Sponsor: Novatek Pharmaceuticals Recruiting
+
Study of Allogeneic Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Treat Post COVID-19 “Long Haul” Pulmonary Compromise - Condition: Covid19 Intervention: Biological: COVI-MSC Sponsor: Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. Not yet recruiting
+
Intramuscular VIR-7831 (Sotrovimab) for Mild/Moderate COVID-19 - Condition: Covid19 Intervention: Biological: VIR-7831 Sponsors: Vir Biotechnology, Inc.; GlaxoSmithKline Not yet recruiting
+
Nervous System Symptoms Associated With COVID 19 - Condition: Covid19 Interventions: Other: NEURO +; Other: NEURO - Sponsor: University Hospital, Toulouse Completed
+
Collecting Respiratory Sound Samples From Corona Patients to Extend the Diagnostic Capability of VOQX Electronic Stethoscope to Diagnose COVID-19 Patients - Condition: COVID-19 Intervention: Diagnostic Test: Electronic stethoscope Sponsor: Sanolla Recruiting
+
The Burden of COVID-19 Survivorship - Condition: Covid19 Intervention: Other: Exercise Training Sponsor: Mayo Clinic Not yet recruiting
+
Community-based Post-exposure Prophylaxis for COVID-19 - Condition: Covid19 Interventions: Other: Guduchi Ghanvati; Other: Standard guidelines Sponsors: NMP Medical Research Institute; Aarogyam UK; Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Rajasthan Ayurved University; Samta Ayurveda Prakoshtha, India; Padmanabhama Ayurveda Hospital and Research Centre Completed
+
Impact of Steroids on Inflammatory Response in Covid-19 - Condition: Covid19 Interventions: Drug: Dexamethasone; Drug: Methylprednisolone Sponsor: Assiut University Recruiting
+
Vitamin A Supplementation in Children With Moderate to Severe Covid-19 - Condition: Covid19 Intervention: Dietary Supplement: Vitamin A supplement Sponsor: Shiraz University of Medical Sciences Not yet recruiting
+
Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Coughed Droplets From Patients With COVID-19 - Condition: Covid19 Intervention: Device: PneumoniaCheck Sponsors: Emory University; Georgia Tech Foundation Recruiting
+
Glutamine Supplementation and Short-term Mortality in Covid-19 - Condition: Covid19 Interventions: Dietary Supplement: Standard enteral nutrition; Combination Product: Glutamine Sponsor: Assiut University Recruiting
+
Favipiravir +/- Nitazoxanide: Early Antivirals Combination Therapy in COVID-19 - Condition: Covid19 Interventions: Drug: Favipiravir; Drug: Nitazoxanide; Other: Nitazoxanide Placebo Sponsors: Coordinación de Investigación en Salud, Mexico; University College, London; Centro de Investigacion y Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politecnico Nacional (CINVESTAV); Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara; Siegfried Rhein S.A. de C.V.; Strides Pharma Science Limited; Hakken Enterprise Not yet recruiting
+
Epidemiologic Intelligence Network (EpI-Net) to Promote COVID-19 Testing - Condition: Covid19 Intervention: Other: Epi-Net Intervention Sponsors: Ponce Medical School Foundation, Inc.; Duke University; Harvard School of Public Health Recruiting
+
Safety and Efficacy of Dupilumab for Treatment of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients - Condition: Covid19 Interventions: Biological: Dupilumab; Drug: Placebo Sponsors: University of Virginia; PBM C19 Research, LLC (PBM); Virginia Catalyst, Virginia Biosciences Health Research Corporation (VBHRC) Recruiting
+
+
From PubMed
+
+
Positive Selection as a Key Player for SARS-CoV-2 Pathogenicity: Insights into ORF1ab, S and E genes - The human β-coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 epidemic started in late December 2019 in Wuhan, China. It causes Covid-19 disease which has become pandemic. Each of the five-known human β-coronaviruses has four major structural proteins (E, M, N and S) and 16 non-structural proteins encoded by ORF1a and ORF1b together (ORF1ab) that are involved in virus pathogenicity and infectivity. Here, we performed detailed positive selection analyses for those six genes among the four previously known human…
+
Molecular mechanism of anti-SARS-CoV2 activity of Ashwagandha-derived withanolides - COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 corona virus has become a global pandemic. In the absence of drugs and vaccine, and premises of time, efforts and cost required for their development, natural resources such as herbs are anticipated to provide some help and may also offer a promising resource for drug development. Here, we have investigated the therapeutic prospective of Ashwagandha for the COVID-19 pandemic. Nine withanolides were tested in silico for their potential to target and inhibit (i) cell…
+
Global analysis of protein-RNA interactions in SARS-CoV-2-infected cells reveals key regulators of infection - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). SARS-CoV-2 relies on cellular RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) to replicate and spread, although which RBPs control its life cycle remains largely unknown. Here, we employ a multi-omic approach to identify systematically and comprehensively the cellular and viral RBPs that are involved in SARS-CoV-2 infection. We reveal that SARS-CoV-2 infection profoundly remodels the cellular RNA-bound proteome,…
+
COVID-19 mRNA vaccination generates greater IgG levels in women compared to men - QUESTION: Is antibody response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccination similar in women and men?
+
Interaction of selected terpenoids with two SARS-CoV-2 key therapeutic targets: An in silico study through molecular docking and dynamics simulations - The outbreak of COVID-19 disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, along with the lack of targeted medicaments, forced the scientific world to search for new antiviral formulations. In the current emergent situation, drug repurposing of well-known traditional and/or approved drugs could be the most effective strategy. Herein, through computational approaches, we aimed to screen 14 natural compounds from limonoids and terpenoids class for their ability to inhibit the key therapeutic target proteins of…
+
Metformin inhibition of mitochondrial ATP and DNA synthesis abrogates NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pulmonary inflammation - Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), an inflammatory condition with high mortality rates, is common in severe COVID-19, whose risk is reduced by metformin rather than other anti-diabetic medications. Detecting of inflammasome assembly in post-mortem COVID-19 lungs, we asked whether and how metformin inhibits inflammasome activation while exerting its anti-inflammatory effect. We show that metformin inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation and interleukin (IL)-1β production in cultured and…
+
SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein causes acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)-like pathological damages and constitutes an antiviral target - Cytokine storm and multi-organ failure are the main causes of SARS-CoV-2-related death. However, the origin of excessive damages caused by SARS-CoV-2 remains largely unknown. Here we show that the SARS-CoV-2 envelope (2-E) protein alone is able to cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)-like damages in vitro and in vivo. 2-E proteins were found to form a type of pH-sensitive cation channels in bilayer lipid membranes. As observed in SARS-CoV-2-infected cells, heterologous expression of…
+
I(nsp1)ecting SARS-CoV-2-ribosome interactions - While SARS-CoV-2 is causing modern human history’s most serious health crisis and upending our way of life, clinical and basic research on the virus is advancing rapidly, leading to fascinating discoveries. Two studies have revealed how the viral virulence factor, nonstructural protein 1 (Nsp1), binds human ribosomes to inhibit host cell translation. Here, we examine the main conclusions on the molecular activity of Nsp1 and its role in suppressing innate immune responses. We discuss different…
+
Correction To: Ceftazidime is a potential drug to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro by blocking spike protein-ACE2 interaction - No abstract
+
Macrophage biomimetic nanocarriers for anti-inflammation and targeted antiviral treatment in COVID-19 - CONCLUSION: Collectively, such macrophage biomimetic nanocarriers based drug delivery system showed favorable anti-inflammation and targeted antiviral effects, which may possess a comprehensive therapeutic value in COVID-19 treatment.
+
Vitamin D attenuates COVID-19 complications via modulation of proinflammatory cytokines, antiviral proteins, and autophagy - Introduction: Global emergence of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) has clearly shown variable severity, mortality, and frequency between and within populations worldwide. These striking differences have made many biological variables attractive for future investigations. One of these variables, vitamin D, has been implicated in COVID-19 with rapidly growing scientific evidence. Areas covered: The review intended to systematically explore the sources, and immunomodulatory the role of vitamin D…
+
A potential antiviral activity of Esculentoside A against binding interactions of SARS-COV-2 spike protein and angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) - The recent emergence of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in a devastating pandemic with global concern. However, to date, there are no regimens to prevent and treat SARS-CoV-2 virus. There is an urgent need to identify novel leads with anti-viral properties that impede viral pathogenesis in the host system. Esculentoside A (EsA), a saponin isolated from the root of Phytolacca esculenta, is known to exhibit diverse pharmacological properties, especially anti-inflammatory activity….
+
Efficacy and safety of Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) inhibitors “Leflunomide” and “Teriflunomide” in Covid-19: A narrative review - Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) is rate-limiting enzyme in biosynthesis of pyrimidone which catalyzes the oxidation of dihydro-orotate to orotate. Orotate is utilized in the biosynthesis of uridine-monophosphate. DHODH inhibitors have shown promise as antiviral agent against Cytomegalovirus, Ebola, Influenza, Epstein Barr and Picornavirus. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 action of DHODH inhibitors are also coming up. In this review, we have reviewed the safety and efficacy of approved DHODH inhibitors…
+
Therapeutic targets of natural products for the management of cardiovascular symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 - The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first occurred in China in December 2019 and subsequently spread all over the world with cardiovascular, renal, and pulmonary symptoms. Therefore, recognizing and treating the cardiovascular sign and symptoms that caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can be effective in reducing patient mortality. To control the COVID-19-related cardiovascular symptoms, natural products are considered one of the promising…
+
SARS-CoV-2 Nonstructural Protein 1 Inhibits the Interferon Response by Causing Depletion of Key Host Signaling Factors - Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. While previous studies have shown that several SARS-CoV-2 proteins can antagonize the interferon (IFN) response, some of the mechanisms by which they do so are not well understood. In this study, we describe two novel mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 blocks the IFN pathway. Type I IFNs and IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) were poorly induced during SARS-CoV-2…
+
+
From Patent Search
+
+
폐마스크 밀봉 회수기 - 본 발명은 마스크 착용 후 버려지는 일회용 폐마스크를 비닐봉지에 넣은 후 밀봉하여 배출함으로써, 2차 감염을 예방하고 일반 생활폐기물과 선별 분리 배출하여 환경오염을 방지하는 데 그 목적이 있다. - link
+
COST EFFECTIVE PORTABLE OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR FOR COVID-19 - - link
+
METHOD OF IDENTIFYING SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME CORONA VIRUS 2 (SARS-COV-2) RIBONUCLEIC ACID (RNA) - - link
+
Erweiterbare Desinfektionsvorrichtung -
+
+
Erweiterbare Desinfektionsvorrichtung, umfassend: einen Hauptkörper, der eine umgekehrt U-förmige Basisplatte aufweist, wobei die umgekehrt U-förmige Basisplatte mit einer Öffnung versehen ist und jeweils eine Seitenplatte sich von zwei Seiten der umgekehrt U-förmigen Basisplatte nach außen erstreckt; und mindestens eine Desinfektionslampe, die in den auf zwei Seiten des Hauptkörpers befindlichen Seitenplatten angeordnet ist und eine Lichtemissionseinheit, eine Erfassungseinheit, eine Steuereinheit und eine Stromversorgungseinheit umfasst.
Einfache Sterilisationsvorrichtung, mit einem Hauptkörper (11), der in Längsrichtung einen ersten Plattenabschnitt (111) und in Querrichtung einen zweiten Plattenabschnitt (112) aufweist, wobei der erste Plattenabschnitt (111) und der zweite Plattenabschnitt (112) L-förmig miteinander verbunden sind; und einer Sterilisationslampe (12), die an dem Hauptkörper (11) angeordnet ist und eine Lichtemissionseinheit (121), eine Sensoreinheit (122), eine Steuereinheit (123) und eine Stromeinheit (124) aufweist.
Klemmarme aufweisende Desinfektionsvorrichtung, umfassend: einen Hauptkörper; eine Desinfektionslampe, die im Hauptkörper angeordnet ist und eine Lichtemissionseinheit, eine Erfassungseinheit, eine Steuereinheit und eine Stromversorgungseinheit umfasst; einen Klemmabschnitt, der auf einer Seite des Hauptkörpers angeordnet ist, wobei der Klemmabschnitt zwei gegenüberliegende Greifbacken umfasst, wobei mindestens eine der beiden Greifbacken mit einer Schwenkachse versehen ist, wobei ein Klemmraum durch passgenaues Schließen der beiden Greifbacken entsteht und die beiden Greifbacken jeweils mit einem Durchgangsloch versehen sind; einen Befestigungsabschnitt, der durch die Durchgangslöcher der beiden Greifbacken hindurchgeführt ist;und ein Schild, das auf einer Seite des Klemmabschnitts angeordnet und mit einem Aufnahmeloch versehen ist.
Aufhängbare Sterilisationsvorrichtung, mit einem Hauptkörper (11); einer Sterilisationslampe (12), die an dem Hauptkörper (11) angeordnet ist und eine Lichtemissionseinheit (121), eine Sensoreinheit (122), eine Steuereinheit (123) und eine Stromeinheit (124) aufweist; einem Klemmabschnitt (13), der an einer Seite des Hautpkörpers (11) angeordnet ist und zwei gegenüberliegend angeordnete Klemmbacken (131) aufweist, wobei mindestens eine der beiden Klemmbacken (131) mit einem Achsbolzen (132) versehen ist, wobei die beiden Klemmbacken (131) beim Schließen einen Klemmraum (134) bilden, und wobei die beiden Klemmbacken (131) jeweils mit einem Durchgangsloch (135) versehen sind; und einem Befestigungselement (14), das durch die Durchgangslöcher (135) der beiden Klemmbacken (131) hindurchgeführt wird.
Sterilisationsvorrichtung zur Verbesserung der Desinfektionswirkung -
+
+
Sterilisationsvorrichtung zur Verbesserung der Desinfektionswirkung, umfassend: einen Hauptkörper, der eine erste Oberfläche, eine von der ersten Oberfläche abgewandte zweite Oberfläche und ein Aufnahmeloch aufweist, wobei die zwei Seiten des Hauptkörpers jeweils mit einem Durchgangsloch versehen sind, wobei die Durchgangslöcher mit dem Aufnahmeloch durchgängig verbunden sind; eine Desinfektionslampe, die auf der zweiten Oberfläche des Hauptkörpers angeordnet ist und eine Lichtemissionseinheit, eine Erfassungseinheit, eine Steuereinheit und eine Stromversorgungseinheit umfasst; und ein Befestigungsteil, das durch die Durchgangslöcher und das Aufnahmeloch des Hauptkörpers hindurchgeführt ist.
IMPROVEMENTS RELATED TO PARTICLE, INCLUDING SARS-CoV-2, DETECTION AND METHODS THEREFOR - - link
+
DEEP LEARNING BASED SYSTEM FOR DETECTION OF COVID-19 DISEASE OF PATIENT AT INFECTION RISK - The present invention relates to Deep learning based system for detection of covid-19 disease of patient at infection risk. The objective of the present invention is to solve the problems in the prior art related to technologies of detection of covid-19 disease using CT scan image processing. - link
+
+
+
+
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/archive-daily-dose/13 June, 2021.html b/archive-daily-dose/13 June, 2021.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d074277
--- /dev/null
+++ b/archive-daily-dose/13 June, 2021.html
@@ -0,0 +1,548 @@
+
+
+
+
+
+ 13 June, 2021
+
+Daily-Dose
+
+
Netanyahu’s Likely Departure Is Not Easing the Fears of Palestinians - Attacks by settlers in the West Bank have been on the rise for years—and a new Israeli government is no guarantee of change. - link
+
Is There Any Time Left for Maya Wiley? - The former City Hall lawyer, who has received the endorsement of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, considers herself the last progressive standing in New York’s mayoral race. - link
+
The Importance of Teaching Dred Scott - By limiting discussion of the infamous Supreme Court decision, law-school professors risk minimizing the role of racism in American history. - link
+
The Defeat of Benjamin Netanyahu - Israel’s longest-serving Prime Minister has dragged the country ever rightward, abandoning the peace process and imperilling its very democracy. - link
+
The Big Stakes and Deep Weirdness of the Last Days of New York City’s Mayoral Race - The future of the country’s largest city is on the line. This week, campaign reporting focussed on a candidate’s refrigerator. - link
+
+
From Vox
+
+
Biden plans to reverse Trump’s Alaska policy. Here’s why it matters. -
+
+
+
+A view of Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls, in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest. | Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket/Getty Images
+
+
+
+Tongass National Forest is a frequent target for political ping-pong between environmental and development interests.
+
+
+On Friday the Biden administration revealed plans to reinstate environmental protections preventing logging and mining in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, which the Trump administration had discarded. The 17 million acres in southeastern Alaska — the largest national forest in the US — have been a political battleground for over two decades, bouncing back and forth between the interests of logging industries and climate activists.
+
+
+In 2001, President Bill Clinton finalized the “roadless rule,” which prohibited road construction on 60 million acres of forested land across the US and heavily restricted commercial logging and mining. But in October of 2020, then-President Donald Trump reversed these protections when he made the Tongass Forest exempt from the rule, doing what many developers and politicians in Alaska had been calling for since the Clinton era. But this reversal didn’t last for long.
+
+
+The Biden administration vowed to undo damaging policies
+
+
+Since his time on the campaign trail, President Joe Biden has been vocal about climate action, specifically in contrast with the policies that the Trump administration had passed. After the US, under Trump, left the Paris climate agreement and engineered the largest reduction of protected lands in US history, Biden entered office ready to undo the damage. On the same day Biden was sworn in, on January 20, 2021, he signed an executive order titled “Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis,” which includes goals to reduce climate pollution, and to review and revoke action items set forth by the previous administration.
+
+
+One of the most notable was the revocation of the March 2019 permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline. The project, begun in 2008 and only officially called off this month, has faced backlash at every stage of its development. Canceled by the Obama administration in 2015, and then renewed in 2017 when Trump invited TC Energy, the pipeline’s Canadian developer, to reapply for a permit, the Keystone XL is a perfect example of the back-and-forththat climate politics can have depending on who is in office.
+
+
+The Tongass National Forest is yet another example. From a developer’s perspective, Alaska’s natural resources make it a gold mine. Its old growth forests make it ideal for harvesting timber, its coastal plains are plentiful in prospective drilling sites for oil and natural gas, and developing these opportunities could boost the state’s economy. No specifics as to how the “roadless rule” reversal will be carried out have been announced, apart from the intent to “repeal or replace” it, but Alaskan officials are aware of the economic loss, and have been vocal about the change.
+
+
+“The Biden administration’s announcement is an unacceptable whipsaw in federal policy just months after an exhaustively-reviewed final rule was issued by the Trump administration that struck the right balance between conserving the lands we cherish and fostering opportunities for hard-working Alaskans,” Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) said in a joint statement which also included comments from fellow Alaska Republicans Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Don Young.
+
+
+
+
+Disappointed in the @POTUS latest suppression of AK economic opportunity. From tourism to timber, Alaska’s great Tongass National Forest holds much opportunity for Alaskans but the federal government wishes to see Alaskans suffer at the lack of jobs and prosperity. #akgov#alaska
+
+— Governor Mike Dunleavy (@GovDunleavy) June 11, 2021
+
+
+
+
+Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican,alsoexpressed his disapproval of the Biden action on Twitter andlater added, “We will use every tool available to push back on the latest imposition.”
+
+
+Biden is currently attending the annual G7 summit, which is meeting this year in Cornwall, England. World leaders are expected to address environmental policy on Sunday.
+
+
+Effects of logging could be dramatic to the “lungs” of North America
+
+
+While politicians paint a picture of an oppressive federal government that would deny normal Alaskans access to “jobs and prosperity,” the narrative rings a bit hollow when set against actual feedback from the public.In 2019, the US Forest Service released a summary of over 140,000 comments on the “roadless rule” from the public which overwhelmingly supported the restrictions on forest development. In fact, one of the main points of rationale as to why the public thinks the “roadless rule” should remain was that it is vital to the tourism and fishing industries.
+
+
+According to research by an economic development organization called the Southeast Conference, in 2019 Alaska’s timber industry (along with warehousing, utilities, and transport) only provided 4 percent of Alaskans with jobs in contrast to the 18 percent that were employed by tourism. Commercial fishing, tourism, and recreation are the fastest growing job sectors in southeast Alaska, according to the research. The Southeast Conference has not issued an official statement, but its executive director, Robert Venables, joined Gov. Dunleavy’s statement, in which he accused multiple administrations of “playing ping-pong” with Alaskans and the resources of the state.
+
+
+In addition to providing jobs, as the United States’ largest national forest, the Tongass plays a significant ecological role in absorbing carbon produced in the US. According to National Geographic, the temperate rainforest absorbs approximately 8 percent of the pollution produced in the US. “While tropical rainforests are the lungs of the planet, the Tongass is the lungs of North America,” Dominick DellaSala, chief scientist with the Earth Island Institute’s Wild Heritage project, told the Washington Post. In fact, the United States Geological Survey recently estimated that if no trees were lost through logging and the land were left unmanaged in the Tongass, its carbon storage could increase by up to 27 percent by the end of the century.
+
+
+ Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket/Getty Images
+
+Brown bears fishing for salmon on Baranof Island in the Tongass National Forest.
+
+
+
+The Tongass is also home to a thriving wildlife population, but Trump’s reversal of the “roadless rule” put this in danger. On land, the state of Alaska is home to 95 percent of America’s brown bear population, and the Tongass specifically contains the highest concentration of brown bears on the planet, while the forest’s 17,000 miles of clean freshwater provide optimal spawning conditions for wild salmon. Due to its high populations, the Tongass is sometimes called a “salmon forest” and, as it produces $60 million of wild salmon annually, this name is not far-fetched. But, if not for the “roadless rule,” this might have changed. Logging around a stream causes runoff like silt or dirt into the water, which can smother developing eggs, while dams, often used to maneuver logs down waterways, disorient the fish and disrupt their natural migratory patterns.
+
+
+Damage to the Tongass goes beyond statistics for Alaska Natives
+
+
+While this is a loss that can affect any Alaskan, to AlaskanNatives, losing wild salmon and the forests that house them means much more than a declining food source. Twenty-three percent of the region’s population comes from the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian tribes, who have been fighting for recognition and for better treatment of their ancestral land which includes the expansive Tongass Forest.
+
+
+While logging industries threaten food sources, cultural resources like Western red and Alaskan yellow cedar trees, which many communities use to make traditional regalia, baskets, and totem poles, are also threatened. “Cedar is the warp in the basket of who we are as a people. We weave our way around the cedar, keeping ourselves connected, strong and able to carry the tools and resources forward for the next generation,” Marina Anderson, a Haida and Tlingit woman who serves as the tribal administrator of the Organized Village of Kasaan, said in an article for Juneau Empire.
+
+
+Anderson recently helped to organize a workshop on cultural uses of forest resources, taught by Native Alaskans, for employees of the United States Forest Service (USFS). For years, the USFS has provided manufacturers with commercial timber from the Tongass without communication with Native populations. The workshop aimed to teach USFS workers how to distinguish different types of trees that can be used to make canoes and totem poles, or trees that are rare and should be protected. While this type of cross-cultural exchange does not target the heavy hitters of industry or politics, it does make an impact on the people carrying out the work.
+
+
+
What Facebook’s two-year Trump ban does and doesn’t do -
+
+
+
+This is how Donald Trump makes a “Like.” | James Devaney/GC Images
+
+
+
+The social network says the former president will receive a two-year ban following his actions surrounding January 6.
+
+
+Donald Trump’s Facebook ban will last at least two years, the company announced on Friday. Facebook said that the former president’s actions on January 6, which contributed to a violent mob storming Capitol Hill and staging an insurrection that led to five deaths, “constituted a severe violation of our rules,” and that it was enacting this policy change as part of a new approach to public figures during civil unrest.
+
+
+Facebook added that the two-year sanction constitutes a time period “long enough” to be a significant deterrent to Trump and other world leaders who might make similar posts, as well as enough to allow for a “safe period of time after the acts of incitement.” However, Facebook still has not made a final decision about the future of Trump’s account. The company said that after two years, it will again evaluate whether there’s still a risk to public safety and potential civil unrest.
+
+
+“We know that any penalty we apply — or choose not to apply — will be controversial. There are many people who believe it was not appropriate for a private company like Facebook to suspend an outgoing President from its platform, and many others who believe Mr. Trump should have immediately been banned for life,” Nick Clegg, the company’s vice president of global affairs, said in a blog post, later adding: “The Oversight Board is not a replacement for regulation, and we continue to call for thoughtful regulation in this space.”
+
+
+ Facebook
+
+
+The announcement comes after Facebook’s oversight board, a group of policy experts and journalists the company has appointed to handle difficult content moderation questions, decided to uphold the platform’s freeze on the former president’s account. In May, the board ruled that Facebook should not have banned Trump indefinitely and would have to make a final decision within six months. The board also said that Facebook would have to clarify its rules about world leaders and the risk of violence, among other recommendations.
+
+
+“The Oversight Board is reviewing Facebook’s response to the Board’s decision in the case involving former US President Donald Trump and will offer further comment once this review is complete,” the board’s press team said in response to Facebook’s Friday announcement. Later in the day, the board said in a statement it was “encouraged” by Facebook’s decision, and will monitor the company’s implementation.
+
+
+Facebook now says it will fully implement 15 of the oversight board’s 19 recommendations. It also responded to the board’s demand that it provide more detail on its newsworthiness exception, a policy that Facebook has used — though rarely — to give politicians a free pass to post content that violates its rules. Now, Facebook says it will label posts that receive those exceptions, and will treat politicians’ posts more like those from regular users.
+
+
+This set of decisions from Facebook has major implications not just for Trump’s account but also for national politics in the United States in the foreseeable future. At the same time, they signal that the company has remained steadfast in maintaining its power to decide what politicians can ultimately post to the platform. Facebook is providing more details about the rules it could use to punish politicians who violate its community guidelines, potentially increasing transparency. Still, it’s Facebook that has the final say over enforcement, including what’s considered newsworthy and remains on the platform versus what violates its community guidelines and gets removed.
+
+
+Facebook still decides who gets a free pass from its rules
+
+
+In Friday’s announcement, Facebook said it would change one of its most controversial policies: an allowance for content that breaks its rules but is important enough to the public discourse to remain online, often because it has been posted by a politician. Some call this the “newsworthiness exception” or the “world leader exception.” Now, Facebook is changing the rules so that the exemption seems more transparent and less unfair. But the company is still preserving its power to decide what happens the next time a politician posts something offensive or dangerous.
+
+
+Trump was the inspiration for this exemption, which Facebook first created in 2015 after the former president (then a candidate) posted a video of himself saying Muslims should be banned from the United States. The newsworthiness exception was formally announced in 2016 and has long been controversial because it creates two types of users and posts: those who have to follow Facebook’s rules and those that don’t, and can post offensive and even dangerous content.
+
+
+In 2019, the company added more detail. Nick Clegg, Facebook’s vice president for global affairs and communication, said that Facebook would presume anything a politician posted to its platform would be of interest to the public, and should stay up — “even when it would otherwise breach our normal content rules” — and as long as the public interest outweighed the risk of harm.
+
+
+The policy also presumably serves as a convenient shield for Facebook to avoid getting into fights with powerful people (like the president of the United States).
+
+
+For all the controversy and confusion it has produced, Facebook says the newsworthiness exception is rarely deployed. In 2020, Facebook’s independent civil rights audit reported that Facebook had only used the exception 15 times in the previous year, and only once in the US. Facebook amended its previous statement to the oversight board on Friday, saying it has only technically used the standard once in regard to Trump, over a video Trump posted of one of his 2019 rallies. Despite rarely being the beneficiary of the policy, the oversight board said back in May Trump’s account suspension meant Facebook should respond to the ongoing confusion.
+
+
+Now, Facebook says politicians’ content will be analyzed for violations of its community guidelines — and weighed against the public interest — just like any other user. While that means the formalized global leader exception is gone, much of what actually remains up and off Facebook remains where it started: in Facebook’s hands.
+
+
+Facebook won’t study how the platform contributed to January 6
+
+
+In the aftermath of the deadly January 6 insurrection, many have pointed to the role social media platforms, including Facebook, played in exacerbating the violence. Critics of Facebook have said the insurrection showed how Facebook shouldn’t just reflect on its approach to Trump’s account, but also to the algorithms, ranking systems, and design feature choices that could have helped the rioters organize.
+
+
+Even the Facebook oversight board, an independent body set up by Facebook to serve as a sort of court for litigation of the company’s most difficult content moderation decisions, recommended Facebook should take such a step. Earlier this week, allies of the Biden administration urged the company to follow that guidance and conduct a public-facing review of how the platform might have contributed to the insurrection.
+
+
+
+
+Facebook has ample reason to believe their platform contributed to the events of Jan. 6. At a minimum they have an obligation to conduct a full, independent, thorough investigation, and to publish the results. It’s the least they should do.
+
+But Facebook isn’t doing that, and it seems to be deflecting that responsibility. The company is instead pointing to a separate research effort focused on Facebook, Instagram, and the 2020 US election, which Facebook says could include studying what happened at the Capitol.
+
+
+“The responsibility for January 6, 2021, lies with the insurrectionists and those who encouraged them,” the company said in its Friday decision, adding that independent researchers and politicians were best suited to researching the role of social media in the insurrection.
+
+
+“We also believe that an objective review of these events, including contributing societal and political factors, should be led by elected officials,” wrote the company, adding that it would still work with law enforcement. Republicans, notably, have all but shut down the possibility of a bipartisan January 6 commission.
+
+
+Facebook might never make a final ruling on Trump
+
+
+Facebook is delaying, perhaps forever, a final decision on Trump himself. Right now, Facebook plans to suspend Trump for a minimum of two years, meaning he’d regain his account at the beginning of 2023. The ban does exclude Trump from using the platform to comment on the 2022 midterm elections, during which his posts could have boosted (or hurt) the hundreds of Republican candidates for the House.
+
+
+Still, the two-year ban is not a final ruling as to whether Trump can return to Facebook. That means it’s still unclear if the former president will have access to the platform should he run for president again. It also leaves open the question of what it would really take for a politician to be permanently booted from the platform.
+
+
+Many are frustrated that Facebook didn’t permanently ban Trump. It’s possible he could return to the platform in time to run for president in 2024, and Facebook obviously knows that. “If this gets 2 years, what can one possibly do to get a lifetime ban,” wrote one employee on an internal post, according to BuzzFeed. Civilrightsgroups reacting to the decision called Facebook’s ruling inadequate, and called Trump’s potential return to the social network a danger to democracy. Some think the decision yet again proves lawmakers need to step in and regulate social media.
+
+
+Trump, for his part, seems extremely displeased with Facebook’s decision. “Facebook’s ruling is an insult to the record-setting 75M people, plus many others, who voted for us in the 2020 Rigged Presidential Election,” Trump said in a statement released Friday. “They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this censoring and silencing and ultimately we will win. Our Country can’t take this abuse any more!”
+
+
+It’s not clear what Trump returning to Facebook would even look like. Facebook has said the policy is in part meant to deter politicians from violating their rules again, but Facebook’s current suspension hasn’t stopped the former president from spreading election conspiracy theories on other platforms. Facebook implied Trump could possibly return when things are more stable, but it often appears that Trump himself is a primary source of instability.
+
+
+It matters that Trump won’t be posting on Facebook until 2023, at the earliest, and that the company has some shiny new rules. But overall, Facebook is once again holding onto its power to decide what happens next.
+
+
+
+Update, June 4, 6:10 pm ET: This piece has been updated with further analysis.
+
+
+
+
+
Colombia’s protests are a product of its post-peace-deal reality -
+
+
+
+Demonstrators in Cali, Colombia, shout anti-government slogans as they continue a blockade at the Sameco sector during a protest amid a national strike on May 19, 2021. | Gabriel Aponte/Getty Images
+
+
+
+“The peace process has opened up a space for other concerns and for other political debates.”
+
+
+In Cali, a city in southwestern Colombia,protestersput up barricades across the city.A front line — la primera línea — sometimes guards these barricades with masks and helmets and shields.
+
+The government defended the proposed tax increase as a much-needed measure to repair the economy after fallout from the coronavirus. Those who opposed the legislation saw it as putting another burden on middle-class and poorer families who are already in a precarious position, also because of the coronavirus.
+
+
+Anger over the tax bill also became an outlet for pent-up grievances against Colombia’s economic structures and its political elite. “It only takes a spark where there’s a lot of discontent,” Muni Jensen, senior adviser with the Albright Stonebridge Group and a former Colombian diplomat, said.
+
+The people flooding the streets across Colombia have faced brutal crackdowns from police, fueling demonstrators’ rage and adding police brutality to their list of grievances. Human rights groups have alleged abuses such as indiscriminate beatings, killings, and sexual violence. Temblores, an organization that tracks police brutality in the country, has documented more than 3,700 cases of police violence as of May 31, 2021, as well as 45 deaths it said were caused by police. Colombia’s human rights ombudsman said at least 58 people have died during the protests so far.
+
+
+“That just enraged people who are already enraged because of the situation, because of the government,” Laura Gamboa, assistant professor of political science at the University of Utah, said of the police crackdown. “What you see here is like this ball that is just going to grow and grow.”
+
+
+Experts say there’s another, deeper dynamic also fueling the protests.
+
+Instead, it created “the possibility new issues that had been long left aside, become central again,” Juan Albarracín Dierolf, assistant professor of political studies at the Universidad Icesi in Cali, Colombia, told me. Demonstrations also carried a stigma during the conflict, as political protests were often grouped together with armed resistance. That has dissipated in the aftermath of the peace deal, though it has not eliminated the heavy-handed response from police, a force shaped to counter guerrillas, not peaceful protesters.
+
+
+Colombia’s protests, then, are as much about its past as they are about its present. As Albarracín said, it is all “happening really, really quickly.” Together, that is making Colombia’s future very uncertain.
+
+
+Colombia’s peace process gave the space for these protests to happen
+
+
+In 2012, then-Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos began negotiations with the leftist guerrillas known as the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), or FARC, in an attempt to end a civil war that had gone on for more than 50 years. After four years of negotiations, the Colombian government and the FARC signed a peace deal under which the FARC demobilized and became a legitimate political party.
+
+The peace deal did not solve all of Colombia’s problems, nor did it fully end the violence. But the civil war between the government and the FARC was Colombia’s central crisis. With the peace deal, that main cleavage consuming Colombia started to fade away, said Gamboa.
+
+
+But all the other major problems stuck on the sidelines, especially socioeconomic issues, started to bubble up. Inequality, education, employment, social justice, racial inequities — all of it became much more salient.
+
+
+“The peace process has opened up a space for other concerns and for other political debates,” said Sandra Botero, assistant professor of international studies and political science at Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá.
+
+All of this was brewing underneath the surface of Colombian society — and when Duque introduced the tax bill, he unleashed these dormant frustrations.
+
+
+Colombia also saw street protests in 2018 and 2019, and in some ways, this latest round of unrest is a continuation of those. But these kinds of mass protests are a relatively recent political expression in Colombia.
+
+
+In the past, mass mobilization or resistance in the streets was framed by the same paradigm of war. “Before the peace agreement, any kind of dissatisfaction of the people was framed as mobilization made by the guerrillas,” Carlos Enrique Moreno León, professor of political science at the Universidad Icesi, said.
+
+
+The peace deal, then, not only made room for people to push on other issues but also destigmatized demonstrations and, in doing so, reanimated one of the most potent tools regular people had to advocate for political change.
+
+
+“In Colombia, civil protests were always repressed brutally because it was filed with the guerrillas and with this insurgency,” said Elvira Restrepo Saenz, associate professor of international studies at The George Washington University. “This is a post-conflict protest, and it’s unprecedented in its magnitude, in its intensity, and in its territorial comprehensiveness.”
+
+
+The heavy-handed police response is a legacy of the civil war
+
+
+The same peace process allowing the protests to flourish is also showing its limitations when it comes to the response from police and the government.
+
+
+The Colombian National Police is very much linked to the military; though a distinctive branch, it falls under the oversight of the Ministry of Defense. The force itself was shaped by the conflict in Colombia, with officers often fighting “on the front lines, wielding tanks and helicopters as they battled guerrilla fighters and destroyed drug labs,” according to the New York Times.
+
+
+Critics have said the country’s national police needs to reform, moving from a focus on training for battle to one of public safety. “On balance, there’s been a real struggle to democratize policing, in part because the institutions themselves — the police and the military — benefit politically and economically from this kind of ‘us-versus-them, we’re still at war’ mentality,” Eduardo Moncada, assistant professor of political science at Barnard College, said.
+
+
+That has been on display during the most recent demonstrations. Even if the act of protest itself has become normalized in society more broadly, the police themselves still largely see the demonstrators as “internal enemies.”
+
+
+“They are treating the protesters as they used to treat the guerrillas, as subversives, because that’s the type of public force that is the police,” Restrepo said. “The military and security forces that we have, that was never reformed.”
+
+
+Another (almost obvious) difference is that the police can’t operate in the shadows in the same way they might have at the height of the conflict in Colombia. Now there are people with cell phones everywhere, taking videos and documenting the brutality.
+
+Initially, Duque took a line that may sound familiar, saying he had “respect for peaceful protest” and that while incidents of police abuse are intolerable, they were isolated rather than evidence of a systemic problem. (He has since promised some reforms.)
+
+
+The government has also alleged that some of the violence and chaos is the work of guerrillas, including the vestiges of the FARC, as well as drug traffickers who have infiltrated the protests. At the end of May, when protests had stretched on for a full month, Duque deployed the military to Cali, saying the increased capacity would help in the areas that have seen “acts of vandalism, violence and low-intensity urban terrorism.” Officials have also said hundreds of police officers have been injured, including by armed civilians.
+
+
+Restrepo said the government is trying to bring the FARC guerrillas and Colombia’s conflict back to the center of the agenda “to justify the militarization of the police and the techniques that they’re using, the violence [and] brutality that they’re using.” In other words, when it works politically, go back to the us-versus-them paradigm.
+
+
+This has further enraged protesters who see their legitimate grievances being ignored and their anger recast.
+
+
+But at the same time, there are credible reports of street gangs and other criminal elements blending into the protests, trying to sow and take advantage of the chaos for their own gain.
+
+
+Colombia, despite the peace deal, is still dealing with a very precarious security situation. Instead of an armed conflict, a slew of non-state actors and paramilitaries are engaging in violence of a particular form, including selective and extrajudicial killings, particularly against human rights advocates, community organizers, and civil society leaders.
+
+
+Experts told me it would be a mistake to say all protesters, or even all blockades in cities like Cali, are associated with criminal elements. “That being said, you’re having this context of social protests embedded in a city, in a country where, of course, there are some powerful criminal organizations and guerrilla groups,” the Universidad Icesi’s Albarracín said. At least some of those groups will take advantage of the disorder — and the front lines are already so chaotic and disorganized, it’s hard to know who’s who.
+
+
+None of this, of course, negates the very real and well-documented allegations of misconduct against Colombia’s police force. But it is a reminder of just how complex the situation on the ground in Colombia really is.
+
+
+The protests are diverse in geography and demands, and that makes for a messy and volatile combination
+
+
+Beyond the question of whether “terrorists” are mixing with peaceful protesters, figuring out who the peaceful protesters are and what they want is its own challenge.
+
+
+Protests are happening across Colombia, in cities including Cali, Bogotá, and Medellin. But this is not a fully unified movement. Up close, the protests all look very different, with diverse and often localized grievances — and not all of the demands are aligned.
+
+
+Just looking at Cali, which has become the symbol of the protests in Colombia, reveals just how complicated the movement is.
+
+
+Many of the people on the front lines are young, including students who feel disillusioned with their education and employment opportunities. At different times, Indigenous groups, farmers, Afro-Colombian groups, labor unions, and other workers have all joined the protests.
+
+
+“They are not organized by a mastermind or even by a collective,” Botero said. “Many of them are organic, and to a certain extent, spontaneous.”
+
+
+Instead, there are many, many individuals or groups with many, many demands, and not all of them are in agreement with each other. At the Puerto Resistencia — the biggest barricade in Cali — about 21 separate groups occupy just one point, Moreno said. And those groups have no affiliation with the handful of others posted up at another blockade across the city. And, of course, the specific demands in a place like Cali will be different than those in, say, Bogotá.
+
+
+Without obvious leaders, or a confederation of them, negotiations are extraordinarily difficult. The Duque government had been negotiating with the organizers from the Comité Nacional de Paro, or National Strike Committee, who originally called for the national strike in response to the proposed tax bill. But the National Strike Committee walked away from talks this week. The protests have become much bigger, though, and the committee is largely disconnected from the action on the ground. “Certainly, those are part of the groups that are being mobilized,” Botero said. “But the strike committee does not control the blockages that are happening in Cali.”
+
+
+On the local level, city or municipal governments are also trying to quell the unrest and negotiate with protesters. Local officials, for example, have to deliver services behind the blockades. But they, too, are struggling to make inroads amid the demonstrations.
+
+
+Experts said that even if protesters do sit down withlocal officials and come to an agreement, it tends to fall apart quickly. For one, who comes to the table to represent the protesters? Plus, the local government has limited resources and power; it can’t necessarily follow through on whatever promises it makes, and right now, it doesn’t have the backing of the national government.
+
+
+And even if a bunch of groups and the local government agree somehow, others affiliated with the protests may be left out or feel like their demands weren’t fully heard, so why would they agree to any bargain and get off the streets?
+
+
+It is, as Albarracín put it, “tiers of confusion.”
+
+
+Where do the protests go from here?
+
+
+Colombia’s protests, in some ways, fit into the larger global movement against police brutality and injustice that has arisen over the last year in countries from the United States to Nigeria. In other ways, they are specific to Colombia’s current status as a country still trying to overcome a decades-long conflict, with a population trying to push a more democratic and equal vision.
+
+
+“The protests have put on the table a requestioning of power in Colombia,” the University of Utah’s Gamboa said.
+
+Still, critics say these reforms are superficial and won’t go far in addressing the systemic problems in the force. They are calling for such actions as moving the national police force out from the auspices of the Ministry of Defense and disbanding the riot police.
+
+
+There’s another challenge blocking any sort of real breakthrough: the electoral calendar. Scheduled for May 2022, Colombia’s presidential election is less than a year away. Duque is a lame duck and cannot run again (Colombia’s presidents are limited to one four-year term).
+
+
+Whoever wins, Botero said, will inherit a “powder keg” — but right now, politicians on both the left and the right are carefully positioning themselves as they try to use the fallout from the protests to advance their own agendas.
+
+
+This kind of volatile politics tends to benefit the more extreme candidates on either side, which may make it harder to find a leader who will address the very real need for change and reform in Colombia. That is a threat to Colombia’s democracy, and to the peace it is still trying to build.
+
+
+
From The Hindu: Sports
+
+
French Open defends ‘pragmatic’ stance in Osaka dealings - Naomi Osaka withdrew from Roland Garros after she was fined $15,000 for skipping the postmatch news conference
+
New Zealand thump England in second Test to win series 1-0 - The result meant New Zealand secured a first Test series win in England since 1999 and only their third overall in the country
+
Christian Eriksen sends ‘his greetings’ to teammates after collapse - The rest of the Danish team was being given crisis management assistance as they process the incident that happened during Saturday’s game against Finland in Copenhagen
+
Shakib Al Hasan gets 3-match ban for outburst in Bangladesh cricket - The Bangladesh Cricket Board also fined Shakib $5,900 for his actions during Friday’s match in the Dhaka Premier League.
+
Eriksen’s former cardiologist says he had no history of heart concerns - Dr. Sanjay Sharma of St. George’s University of London said Eriksen had returned normal tests since 2013.
+
+
From The Hindu: National News
+
+
No woman applicants for temple priesthood in Kerala - No woman has approached the Travancore, Cochin and Malabar Devaswom boards, which have administrative control over the nearly 2000 temples of the State, with requests for appointment
+
Ravi Shankar Prasad asks Congress to make its stand clear on Digvijaya Singh’s remarks on Article 370 - “Does the Congress want restoration of Article 370 as Digvijay Singh has indicated?” Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad wrote on Twitter
+
U.S.-bound Indian students need COVID-19 negative report taken 72 hours prior to departure: American diplomat - U.S. embassy to allot visa interview slots for Indian students from June 14
+
Congress needs widespread reforms to show it’s no longer in inertia: Kapil Sibal - The veteran added that India needs a resurgent Congress and the party needs to rope in the right people.
+
Five women of same family killed as van hits tree in Chhattisgarh - The injured were shifted to a hospital
+
+
From BBC: Europe
+
+
Christian Eriksen: Denmark midfielder ‘awake’ after collapsing on pitch - Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen is “awake” in hospital after collapsing during the Euro 2020 match against Finland, say the Danish Football Association.
+
G7 summit: Spending plan to rival China adopted - G7 leaders say they will support poorer countries in a “values-driven” and transparent partnership.
+
Russia’s Putin: Biden will be less impulsive than Trump - The Russian president says he expects fewer “impulse-based movements” from his US counterpart.
+
Swiss voting in pesticide ban referendum - Supporters say pesticides damage the environment, but farmers warn they could lose their livelihoods.
+
Malaysia deports French conspiracy theorist wanted for abduction - French conspiracy theorist Rémy Daillet-Wiedemann is wanted over the kidnapping of a child in April.
+
+
From Ars Technica
+
+
Ubisoft at E3: Mario Rabbids sequel, Rainbow Six: Extraction, more - Ubisoft Forward’s familiar and new: guns, extreme sports, just dancing, and Avatar. - link
+
The best discounts from Xbox’s “Deals Unlocked” E3 2021 sale - Dealmaster also has early Prime Day deals, discounts on LG TVs, and more. - link
+
Here are a bunch of iOS 15 features that Apple didn’t mention earlier - As usual, some of the most intriguing changes weren’t necessarily the biggest. - link
+
How to protect species and save the planet—at the same time - A major new report suggests tackling biodiversity, climate crises simultaneously. - link
+
Three experts resign as FDA advisors over approval of Alzheimer’s drug - One former advisor accused the FDA of presenting “slanted” questions to committee. - link
+
+
From Jokes Subreddit
+
+
A man wearing a ten-gallon hat and leather boots goes into a bar and sits down next to a woman. “Are you a real cowboy?”, she asks him. -
+
+
+He responds: “For all my life, I have been tamed and ridden horses. I have repaired fences, herded and tended to cows and caught escaped cows. I think it would make sense to call myself a cowboy.”
+
+
+To which she says: “Interesting. I myself am a lesbian. I wake up thinking about women, when I am in the shower I think about women, at night laying in bed I think about women. I constantly think about women.” They talk for a while, until she gets up and leaves.
+
+
+An older couple enters the bar and sits down next to the cowboy. They eyeball him a short while and then muster up the courage to ask him:“Are you a real cowboy?”,
+
+
+to which he replies:“For all my life I thought I was a cowboy, but today I learned that I am in fact a lesbian.”
+
Bert and Ernie had worked together as morning drivetime radio hosts for twenty years. -
+
+
+They traded jokes, played pop music and generally made people’s lives a touch brighter as they trundled to work.
+
+
+Now though there was silence on the air, Ernie silently reread the fax message from civil defense. As licensed broadcasters they were legally obligated to alert the public, to tell them the nukes were flying and that in a few minutes, all of the world’s troubles would be over.
+
+
+What was the point of that though? To torture people with the knowledge of something they couldn’t change?
+
+
+Their eyes met and a decision was reached. Bert put on their most requested song, a sugary top 40 tune while Ernie produced a bottle of bourbon from under the desk. As their producer banged on the locked studio door, the colleagues toasted the end of a long career.
+
+
+Bert, always the consummate professional, turned away from the window as the first explosion split the distant horizon. He straightened his tie, tucked in his shirt and brushed his hair back. He would meet his fiery death with dignity.
+
+
+Bert turned to Ernie and said in a quiet, resigned voice, “How do I look, Ernie?”
+
+
+Ernie walked slowly over to his friend. He looked into Bert’s face and saw the closeness they shared, the strength of their relationship, forged over the years. took a deep breath and spoke quietly:
+
+An elderly man in Phoenix calls his son in New York and says, “I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing, forty-five years of misery is enough.”
+
+
+“Pop, what are you talking about?” the son screams.
+
+
+“We can’t stand the sight of each other any longer,” the old man says.
+
+
+“We’re sick of each other, and I’m sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her,” and he hangs up.
+
+
+Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. “Like heck they’re getting divorced,” she shouts, “I’ll take care of this.”
+
+
+She calls Phoenix immediately, and screams at the old man, “You are NOT getting divorced. Don’t do a single thing until I get there. I’m calling my brother back, and we’ll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don’t do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?” and hangs up.
+
+
+The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. “Okay,” he says, "They’re coming for Thanksgiving and paying their own fares Now what do we tell them for Christmas?
+
A lady approaches a priest and shyly tells him, “Father, I have a problem. I have these two talking female parrots but, they only know how to say one thing… they keep saying ‘Hi, we’re hot… do you want to fuck us?’” -
+
+
+“That’s terrible!” says the priest. “But, I have a solution to your problem. Bring your two parrots over to my house tomorrow. I will put them with my two male talking parrots… to whom I’ve taught to pray and read the bible. My parrots will then teach your parrots to stop saying that terrible filth, and your female parrots will learn to pray and worship the good Lord.” So the next day, the lady brings her two female parrots to the priest’s house. The priest’s two male parrots are holding rosary beads and praying in their cage. The lady puts her female talking parrots in with the male talking Parrots, and the female parrots say, “Hi, we’re hot. Do you want to fuck us?” One male parrot looks over at the other male parrot and screams, “put the bible away you idiot, our prayers have been answered!”
+
+/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22655002/1176327232.jpg)
Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket/Getty Images
+
+/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22637661/Heightened_Policy_Final.png)
Facebook
+
+