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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>Cheating in the wake of COVID-19: How dangerous is ad-hoc online testing for academic integrity?</strong> -
<div>
Worldwide, higher education institutions made quick and often unprepared shifts from on-site to online examination in 2020 due to the COVID-19 health crisis. This development sparked an ongoing debate on whether this development made it easier for students to cheat. We investigated whether students indeed cheated more often in online than in on-site exams and whether the use of online exams was also associated with higher rates of other behaviors deemed as academic dishonesty. To answer our research questions, we questioned 1,608 German students from a wide variety of higher education institutions about their behavior during the summer semester of 2020. The participating students reported that they cheated more frequently in online than in on-site exams. Effects on other measures of academic dishonesty were more negligible. These results speak for the notion that the swift application of ad-hoc online testing during 2020 has led to negative consequences for academic integrity.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://psyarxiv.com/6xmzh/" target="_blank">Cheating in the wake of COVID-19: How dangerous is ad-hoc online testing for academic integrity?</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Sequencing SARS-CoV-2 Genomes from Saliva</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Genomic sequencing is crucial to understanding the epidemiology and evolution of SARS-CoV-2. Often, genomic studies rely on remnant diagnostic material, typically nasopharyngeal swabs, as input into whole genome SARS-CoV-2 next-generation sequencing pipelines. Saliva has proven to be a safe and stable specimen for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA via traditional diagnostic assays, however saliva is not commonly used for SARS-CoV-2 sequencing. Using the ARTIC Network amplicon-generation approach with sequencing on the Oxford Nanopore MinION, we demonstrate that sequencing SARS-CoV-2 from saliva produces genomes comparable to those from nasopharyngeal swabs, and that RNA extraction is necessary to generate complete genomes from saliva. In this study, we show that saliva is a useful specimen type for genomic studies of SARS-CoV-2.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.21.21259289v1" target="_blank">Sequencing SARS-CoV-2 Genomes from Saliva</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Análisis de los discursos de médicos vertidos en Twitter sobre la validez de posibles tratamientos contra la COVID-19 / Discourse analysis of physicians on Twitter about the validity of possible treatments for COVID-19</strong> -
<div>
Introduction: Twitter is a platform that prioritizes the immediacy of communication; nevertheless, tweets in scientific areas rarely reach a wide audience. Objective: To examine discursive strategies used by Peruvian doctors with an active Twitter account on the validity of possible treatments for COVID19. Methodology: Critical discourse analysis - using Fairclough’s three-dimensional model - with the help of notions of ethos. Results: Two areas were found where the medical-scientific discursive ethos is expressed: the construction as individual specialists in health and the approach given to the aspects of the medical-scientific ethos: the method, the evidence and the pseudo-scientific. Conclusions: The language used in the tweets is impersonal and neutral. The positioning of individuals as health specialists is through a thematic opinion. A discursive ethos that reinforces the existing pre-discursive ethos through discursive strategies such as denomination and intertextuality develops this positioning.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://mediarxiv.org/vwn68/" target="_blank">Análisis de los discursos de médicos vertidos en Twitter sobre la validez de posibles tratamientos contra la COVID-19 / Discourse analysis of physicians on Twitter about the validity of possible treatments for COVID-19</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Overcoming COVID-19 vaccine preferential bias in Europe: Is the end of the pandemic still foreseeable?</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The availability of safe and effective vaccines alone does not save lives, it is the inoculation plus other public health measures that do. Recent reports suggest the growing trend in vaccine preferential bias in parts of the world but not much data in Europe. The present paper aims to investigate the occurrence of COVID-19 vaccine preferential bias in Europe for effective vaccination planning and pandemic control. Method Data on vaccine-delivered for vaccination campaigns to the EU member states was collected from Eu center for disease control (EUCDC) on the COVID-19 vaccination radar. The data was processed for analysis on MS excel and both descriptive and statistical analysis was done with SPSS version 21. Analysis was performed at 95% CI and statistically, a significant difference was considered at p &lt; 0.05. Results We observed statistically significantly lower vaccine uptake compared to the vaccine delivered doses in the present study (average at 62.678 +/- 3.928%) (p&lt; 0.05, CI = 95%). Great variances in uptake for Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines (50.927 +/- 4.626 %) compared to Pfizer-Biontech vaccine (86.285 +/- 2.1052 %) were observed compared to a previous prospective study on the wiliness to receive COVID-19 vaccine in the region (75%). Conclusion Public health practitioners and policymakers need to factor in the existence of COVID-19 preferential bias based on vaccine type or manufacturer. This will enable them to introduce policies including public education campaigns on the need to avoid bias on the wiliness to inoculate to enhance vaccine uptake for smooth and effective control of the pandemic.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.23.21259422v1" target="_blank">Overcoming COVID-19 vaccine preferential bias in Europe: Is the end of the pandemic still foreseeable?</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>N4-hydroxycytidine and inhibitors of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase synergistically suppress SARS-CoV-2 replication</strong> -
<div>
Effective therapeutics to inhibit the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in infected individuals are still under development. The nucleoside analogue N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC), also known as EIDD-1931, interferes with SARS-CoV-2 replication in cell culture. It is the active metabolite of the prodrug Molnupiravir (MK-4482), which is currently being evaluated for the treatment of COVID-19 in advanced clinical studies. Meanwhile, inhibitors of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), by reducing the cellular synthesis of pyrimidines, counteract virus replication and are also being clinically evaluated for COVID-19 therapy. Here we show that the combination of NHC and DHODH inhibitors such as teriflunomide, IMU-838/vidofludimus, and BAY2402234, strongly synergizes to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication. While single drug treatment only mildly impaired virus replication, combination treatments reduced virus yields by at least two orders of magnitude. We determined this by RT-PCR, TCID50, immunoblot and immunofluorescence assays in Vero E6 and Calu-3 cells infected with wildtype and the Alpha and Beta variants of SARS-CoV-2. We propose that the lack of available pyrimidine nucleotides upon DHODH inhibition increases the incorporation of NHC in nascent viral RNA, thus precluding the correct synthesis of the viral genome in subsequent rounds of replication, thereby inhibiting the production of replication competent virus particles. This concept was further supported by the rescue of replicating virus after addition of pyrimidine nucleosides to the media. Based on our results, we suggest combining these drug candidates, which are currently both tested in clinical studies, to counteract the replication of SARS-CoV-2, the progression of COVID-19, and the transmission of the disease within the population.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.28.450163v1" target="_blank">N4-hydroxycytidine and inhibitors of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase synergistically suppress SARS-CoV-2 replication</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Solar simulated ultraviolet radiation inactivates HCoV-NL63 and SARS-CoV-2 coronaviruses at environmentally relevant doses</strong> -
<div>
The germicidal properties of short wavelength ultraviolet C (UVC) light are well established and used to inactivate many viruses and other microbes. However, much less is known about germicidal effects of terrestrial solar UV light, confined exclusively to wavelengths in the UVA and UVB regions. Here, we have explored the sensitivity of the human coronaviruses HCoV-NL63 and SARS-CoV-2 to solar-simulated full spectrum ultraviolet light (sUV) delivered at environmentally relevant doses. First, HCoV-NL63 coronavirus inactivation by sUV-exposure was confirmed employing (i) viral plaque assays, (ii) RT-qPCR detection of viral genome replication, and (iii) infection-induced stress response gene expression array analysis. Next, a detailed dose-response relationship of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus inactivation by sUV was elucidated, suggesting a half maximal suppression of viral infectivity at low sUV doses. Likewise, extended sUV exposure of SARS-CoV-2 blocked cellular infection as revealed by plaque assay and stress response gene expression array analysis. Moreover, comparative (HCoV-NL63 versus SARS-CoV-2) single gene expression analysis by RT-qPCR confirmed that sUV exposure blocks coronavirus-induced redox, inflammatory, and proteotoxic stress responses. Based on our findings, we estimate that solar ground level full spectrum UV light impairs coronavirus infectivity at environmentally relevant doses. Given the urgency and global scale of the unfolding SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, these prototype data suggest feasibility of solar UV-induced viral inactivation, an observation deserving further molecular exploration in more relevant exposure models.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.25.449831v1" target="_blank">Solar simulated ultraviolet radiation inactivates HCoV-NL63 and SARS-CoV-2 coronaviruses at environmentally relevant doses</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Effect of prophylactic use of intra-nasal oil formulations in the hamster model of Covid-19</strong> -
<div>
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) infection initiates with viral entry in upper respiratory tract leading to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). Severe Covid-19 is characterized by pulmonary pathologies associated with respiratory failure. Thus, therapeutics aimed at inhibiting entry of the virus or its internalization in the upper respiratory tract, are of interest. Herein, we report the prophylactic application of two intra-nasal formulations provided by the National Medicinal Plant Board (NMPB), Anu oil and Til tailya in SARS-CoV2 infection hamster model. Prophylactic nasal instillation of these oil formulations exhibited reduced viral load in lungs, and resulted in reduced body weight loss and pneumonitis. In line with reduced viral load, histopathlogical analysis revealed a reduction in lung pathology in Anu oil group as compared to the control infected group. However, Til tailya group did not show a significant reduction in lung pathology. Furthermore, molecular analysis using mRNA expression profiling indicated reduced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines genes, including Th1 and Th17 cytokines for both the intra-nasal formulations as a result of decreased viral load. Together, the prophylactic intra-nasal application of Annu oil seems to be useful in limiting both the viral load and disease severity disease in SARS-CoV2 infection in hamster model.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.25.449990v1" target="_blank">Effect of prophylactic use of intra-nasal oil formulations in the hamster model of Covid-19</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Serum Neutralizing Activity of mRNA-1273 against SARS-CoV-2 Variants</strong> -
<div>
The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants has led to growing concerns over increased transmissibility and the ability of some variants to partially escape immunity. Sera from participants immunized on a prime-boost schedule with the mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine were tested for neutralizing activity against several SARS-CoV-2 variants, including variants of concern (VOCs) and variants of interest (VOIs), compared to neutralization of the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 virus (designated as D614G). Results showed minimal effects on neutralization titers against the B.1.1.7 (Alpha) variant (1.2-fold reduction compared with D614G); other VOCs such as B.1.351 (Beta, including B.1.351-v1, B.1.351-v2, and B.1.351-v3), B.1.617.2 (Delta), and P.1 (Gamma) showed decreased neutralization titers ranging from 2.1-fold to 8.4-fold reductions compared with D614G, although all remained susceptible to mRNA-1273-elicited serum neutralization.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.28.449914v1" target="_blank">Serum Neutralizing Activity of mRNA-1273 against SARS-CoV-2 Variants</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>A SARS-CoV-2 mini-genome assay based on negative-sense RNA to study replication inhibitors and emerging mutations</strong> -
<div>
Severe Acute Respiratory Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus and the causative agent of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Efforts to identify inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 replication enzymes and better understand the mechanisms underlying viral RNA synthesis have largely relied on biosafety level 3 (BSL3) laboratories, limiting throughput and accessibility. Recently, replicon systems have been proposed that involve ~30 kb RNA-based replicons or large plasmids that express the viral structural and non-structural proteins (nsp) in addition to a positive-sense reporter RNA. Unfortunately, these assays are not user-friendly due to plasmid instability or a poor signal to background ratio. We here present a simple mini-genome assay consisting of a ~2.5 kb-long negative-sense, nanoluciferase-encoding sub-genomic reporter RNA that is expressed from a plasmid, and amplified and transcribed by the SARS-CoV-2 RNA polymerase core proteins nsp7, nsp8 and nsp12. We show that expression of nsp7, 8 and 12 is sufficient to obtain robust positive- and negative-sense RNA synthesis in cell culture, and that replication of the reporter RNA can be inhibited by active site mutations in nsp12 or the SARS-CoV-2 replication inhibitor remdesivir. The mini-genome assay provides a signal that is 170-fold above background on average, providing excellent sensitivity for high-throughput screens, while the use of small plasmids facilitates site-directed mutagenesis for fundamental analyses of SARS-CoV-2 RNA synthesis.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.28.450211v1" target="_blank">A SARS-CoV-2 mini-genome assay based on negative-sense RNA to study replication inhibitors and emerging mutations</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Myeloid cell interferon responses correlate with clearance of SARS-CoV-2</strong> -
<div>
The emergence of mutant SARS-CoV-2 strains associated with an increased risk of COVID-19-related death necessitates better understanding of the early viral dynamics, host responses and immunopathology. While studies have reported immune profiling using single cell RNA sequencing in terminal human COVID-19 patients, performing longitudinal immune cell dynamics in humans is challenging. Macaques are a suitable model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We performed longitudinal single-cell RNA sequencing of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cell suspensions from adult rhesus macaques infected with SARS-CoV-2 (n=6) to delineate the early dynamics of immune cells changes. The bronchoalveolar compartment exhibited dynamic changes in transcriptional landscape 3 days post- SARS-CoV-2-infection (3dpi) (peak viremia), relative to 14-17dpi (recovery phase) and pre-infection (baseline). We observed the accumulation of distinct populations of both macrophages and T-lymphocytes expressing strong interferon-driven inflammatory gene signature at 3dpi. Type I IFN response was highly induced in the plasmacytoid dendritic cells. The presence of a distinct HLADR+CD68+CD163+SIGLEC1+ macrophage population exhibiting higher angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) expression was also observed. These macrophages were significantly recruited to the lungs of macaques at 3dpi and harbored SARS-CoV-2, while expressing a strong interferon-driven innate anti-viral gene signature. The accumulation of these responses correlated with decline in viremia and recovery. The recruitment of a myeloid cell-mediated Type I IFN response is associated with the rapid clearance of SARS-CoV-2 infection in macaques.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.28.450153v1" target="_blank">Myeloid cell interferon responses correlate with clearance of SARS-CoV-2</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>A bacterial extracellular vesicle-based intranasal vaccine against SARS-CoV-2</strong> -
<div>
Several vaccines have been introduced to combat the coronavirus infectious disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Current SARS-CoV-2 vaccines include mRNA-containing lipid nanoparticles or adenoviral vectors that encode the SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2, inactivated virus, or protein subunits. Despite growing success in worldwide vaccination efforts, additional capabilities may be needed in the future to address issues such as stability and storage requirements, need for vaccine boosters, and emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants or entirely new viruses. Here, we present a novel, well-characterized SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate based on extracellular vesicles (EVs) of Salmonella typhimurium that are decorated with the mammalian cell culture-derived Spike receptor-binding domain (RBD). RBD-conjugated outer membrane vesicles (RBD-OMVs) were used to immunize the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) model of COVID-19. Intranasal immunization resulted in high titers of blood anti-RBD IgG as well as detectable mucosal responses. Upon challenge with live virus, hamsters immunized with RBD-OMV, but not animals immunized with unconjugated OMVs or a vehicle control, avoided weight loss, had lower virus titers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and experienced less severe lung pathology. Our results emphasize the value and versatility of OMV-based vaccine approaches.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.28.450181v1" target="_blank">A bacterial extracellular vesicle-based intranasal vaccine against SARS-CoV-2</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7 is associated with greater disease severity among hospitalised women but not men</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) lineage B.1.1.7 has been associated with an increased rate of transmission and disease severity among subjects testing positive in the community. Its impact on hospitalised patients is less well documented. Methods We collected viral sequences and clinical data of patients admitted with SARS-CoV-2 and hospital-onset COVID-19 infections (HOCIs), sampled 16/11/2020 - 10/01/2021, from eight hospitals participating in the COG-UK-HOCI study. Associations between the variant and the outcomes of all-cause mortality and intensive therapy unit (ITU) admission were evaluated using mixed effects Cox models adjusted by age, sex, comorbidities, care home residence, pregnancy and ethnicity. Results Sequences were obtained from 2341 inpatients (HOCI cases = 786) and analysis of clinical outcomes was carried out in 2147 inpatients with all data available. The hazard ratio (HR) for mortality of B.1.1.7 compared to other lineages was 1.01 (95% CI 0.79-1.28, P=0.94) and for ITU admission was 1.01 (95% CI 0.75-1.37, P=0.96). Analysis of sex-specific effects of B.1.1.7 identified increased risk of mortality (HR 1.30, 95% CI 0.95-1.78) and ITU admission (HR 1.82, 95% CI 1.15-2.90) in females infected with the variant but not males (mortality HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.61-1.10; ITU HR 0.74, 95% CI 0.52-1.04). Conclusions In common with smaller studies of patients hospitalised with SARS-CoV-2 we did not find an overall increase in mortality or ITU admission associated with B.1.1.7 compared to other lineages. However, women with B.1.1.7 may be at an increased risk of admission to intensive care and at modestly increased risk of mortality.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.24.21259107v1" target="_blank">SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7 is associated with greater disease severity among hospitalised women but not men</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Promoting youth mental health during COVID-19: A Longitudinal Study spanning pre- and post-pandemic</strong> -
<div>
The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced novel stressors into the lives of youth. Identifying factors that protect against the onset of psychopathology in the face of these stressors is critical. We examine a wide range of factors that may protect youth from developing psychopathology during the pandemic. We assessed pandemic-related stressors, internalizing and externalizing psychopathology, and potential protective factors by combining two longitudinal samples of children and adolescents (N=224, 7-10 and 13-15 years) assessed prior to the pandemic, during the stay-at-home orders, and six months later. We evaluated how family behaviors during the stay-at-home orders were related to changes in psychopathology during the pandemic, identified factors that moderate the association of pandemic-related stressors with psychopathology, and determined whether associations varied by age. Internalizing and externalizing psychopathology increased substantially during the pandemic. Higher exposure to pandemic-related stressors was associated with increases in internalizing and externalizing symptoms early in the pandemic and six months later. Having a structured routine, less passive screen time, lower exposure to news media about the pandemic, and to a lesser extent more time in nature and getting adequate sleep were associated with reduced psychopathology. The association between pandemic-related stressors and psychopathology was reduced for youths with limited passive screen time and was absent for children, but not adolescents, with lower news media consumption related to the pandemic. We provide insight into simple, practical steps families can take to promote resilience against mental health problems in youth during the COVID-19 pandemic and protect against psychopathology following pandemic-related stressors.
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://psyarxiv.com/n5h8t/" target="_blank">Promoting youth mental health during COVID-19: A Longitudinal Study spanning pre- and post-pandemic</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Short-term Outcomes in Children Recovered from Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Background: Multi System Inflammatory Syndrome in children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19 is a recently recognised potentially life-threatening entity. There is limited data on post MIS-C sequelae. Methods: 21 children fulfilling the WHO criteria for MIS-C were included in our study. Data was collected at baseline and at 12-16 weeks post discharge to look for any persistent sequelae mainly relating to the lungs or heart including coronary arteries. Results: Fever was the most common presentation found in 18 (85.7%) patients. All had marked hyper-inflammatory state. Low ejection fraction (EF) was found in 10 (47.6%) but none had any coronary artery abnormality. All received corticosteroids while 7 (33.3%) children required additional treatment with intravenous Immunoglobulins. 20 children improved while 1 left against medical advice. At discharge 3 children had impaired left ventricular function. At median 15 weeks follow-up no persistent complications were found. EF had returned to normal and no coronary artery abnormalities were found during repeat echocardiography. Chest radiographs showed no fibrosis and all biochemical parameters had normalized. Conclusion: The children with MIS-C are extremely sick during the acute stage. Timely and adequate management led to full recovery without any sequelae at a median follow-up of 15 weeks.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.23.21259292v1" target="_blank">Short-term Outcomes in Children Recovered from Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection</a>
</div></li>
<li><strong>Pre-activated anti-viral innate immunity in the upper airways controls early SARS-CoV-2 infection in children</strong> -
<div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Children are consistently reported to have reduced SARS-CoV-2 infection rates and a substantially lower risk for developing severe COVID-19. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying protection against COVID-19 in younger age groups remain widely unknown. Here, we systematically characterized the single-cell transcriptional landscape in the upper airways in SARS-CoV-2 negative and age-matched SARS-CoV-2 positive children (n=42) and corresponding samples from adults (n=44), covering an age range of four weeks to 77 years. Children displayed higher basal expression of the relevant pattern recognition receptor (PRR) pathways in upper airway epithelial cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells, resulting in stronger innate antiviral responses upon SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to adults. We further detected distinct immune cell subpopulations with an overall dominance of neutrophils and a population of cytotoxic T cells occurring predominantly in children. Our study provides evidence that the airway epithelial and mucosal immune cells of children are pre-activated and primed for virus sensing, resulting in a stronger early innate antiviral responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to adults.
</p>
</div>
<div class="article-link article-html-link">
🖺 Full Text HTML: <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.24.21259087v1" target="_blank">Pre-activated anti-viral innate immunity in the upper airways controls early SARS-CoV-2 infection in children</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>Cognitive and Psychological Disorders After Severe COVID-19 Infection</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   COVID 19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Diagnostic Test: Cognitive assessment;   Diagnostic Test: Imaging;   Diagnostic Test: Routine care;   Other: Psychiatric evaluation<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   Central Hospital, Nancy, France;   Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Besancon;   University Hospital, Strasbourg, France;   Centre Hospitalier Régional Metz-Thionville;   Centre hospitalier Epinal;   Hopitaux Civils de Colmar<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Phase 1 Study to Assess Safety, Tolerability, PD, PK, Immunogenicity of IV NTR-441 Solution in Healthy Volunteers and COVID-19 Patients</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: NTR-441;   Drug: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Neutrolis<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>MP1032 Treatment in Patients With Moderate to Severe COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   COVID-19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: MP1032;   Drug: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   MetrioPharm AG;   Syneos Health, 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>Efficacy and Safety of XAV-19 for the Treatment of Moderate-to-severe COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   COVID-19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: XAV-19;   Drug: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Xenothera SAS<br/><b>Recruiting</b></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Study of Codivir in Patients With COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: Covidir injections;   Diagnostic Test: One Step Test;   Diagnostic Test: IgM and IgG dosage;   Diagnostic Test: RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2;   Diagnostic Test: Screening blood test;   Diagnostic Test: ECG;   Diagnostic Test: Medical evaluation;   Diagnostic Test: NEWS-2 score;   Diagnostic Test: WHO score<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Code Pharma<br/><b>Active, not recruiting</b></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>In Situ Thrombolysis With tPA and Inflow Perfusion Analysis in Patient With Severe Covid-19 Infection</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   COVID-19<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Drug: tPA<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Grupo Mexicano para el Estudio de la Medicina Intensiva<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>Study to Evaluate the Safety and Concentrations of Monoclonal Antibody Against Virus That Causes COVID-19 Disease.</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   COVID-19 Virus Disease<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Biological: MAD0004J08;   Other: Placebo<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   Toscana Life Sciences Sviluppo s.r.l.;   Cross Research S.A.<br/><b>Active, not recruiting</b></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Clinical Trial With N-acetylcysteine and Bromhexine for COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   COVID-19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: Vitamin C;   Drug: N-acetylcysteine (NAC);   Drug: NAC + Bromhexine (BMX)<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   Universidade Federal do Ceara;   Paulista School of Medicine-EPM, UNIFESP;   Health Surveillance Secretariat - SVS;   Central Laboratory of Public Health of Ceara - LACEN-CE;   Leonardo da Vinci Hospital - HLV;   São José Hospital for Infectious Diseases - HSJ;   Ceará Health Secretariat - SESA;   Municipal Health Secretary - SMS-Fortaleza<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Safety and Immunogenicity of LNP-nCOV saRNA-02 Vaccine Against SARS-CoV-2, the Causative Agent of COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   COVID-19<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Drug: LNP-nCOV saRNA-02 Vaccine<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Augmentation of Immune Response to COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination Through OMT With Lymphatic Pumps</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Covid19<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Other: Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT)<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   Western University of Health Sciences;   American College of Osteopathic Physicians;   American Osteopathic Foundation;   Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California;   Xavier-Nichols Foundation<br/><b>Recruiting</b></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Efficacy of Inhaled Therapies in the Treatment of Acute Symptoms Associated With COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Covid19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: inhaled beclametasone;   Drug: Inahaled beclomethasone / formoterol / glycopyrronium<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   UPECLIN HC FM Botucatu Unesp;   Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A.<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>Clinical Investigation for 2019-nCoV Antigen Saliva Rapid Test Kit and V-CHEK SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Detection Kit to Detect COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Covid19<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Device: V-CHECK SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Detection Kit and 2019-nCoV Antigen Saliva Rapid Test Kit<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   Medical College of Wisconsin;   Reliable, 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>Dapsone Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 Trial (DAP-CORONA) COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   COVID-19<br/><b>Interventions</b>:   Drug: Dapsone 85 mg PO BID;   Drug: Placebo 85 mg PO BID<br/><b>Sponsors</b>:   McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre;   Pulmonem Inc.<br/><b>Not yet recruiting</b></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Ivermectin Versus Standard Treatment in Mild COVID-19</strong> - <b>Condition</b>:   Covid19<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Drug: Ivermectin Tablets<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Assiut University<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>Tolerability,Safety of JS016 in SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)</strong> - <b>Conditions</b>:   COVID-19;   SARS-CoV-2<br/><b>Intervention</b>:   Drug: Combination Product: JS016 (anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody)<br/><b>Sponsor</b>:   Peking Union Medical College Hospital<br/><b>Recruiting</b></p></li>
</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>Drug delivery systems as Immunomodulators for therapy of infectious disease: relevance to COVID-19</strong> - The emergence of SARS-CoV-2, and the ensuing global pandemic, has resulted in an unprecedented response to identify therapies that can limit uncontrolled inflammation observed in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19. The immune pathology behind COVID-19 is complex and involves the activation and interaction of multiple systems including, but not limited to, complement, inflammasomes, endothelial as well as innate and adaptive immune cells to bring about a convoluted profile of inflammation,…</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The endogenous cellular protease inhibitor SPINT2 controls SARS-CoV-2 viral infection and is associated to disease severity</strong> - COVID-19 outbreak is the biggest threat to human health in recent history. Currently, there are over 1.5 million related deaths and 75 million people infected around the world (as of 22/12/2020). The identification of virulence factors which determine disease susceptibility and severity in different cell types remains an essential challenge. The serine protease TMPRSS2 has been shown to be important for S protein priming and viral entry, however, little is known about its regulation. SPINT2 is a…</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) decreases the benefit of anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint blockade in tumor immunotherapy</strong> - Immunotherapy using checkpoint blockade (ICB) with antibodies such as anti-PD-1 has revolutionised the treatment of many cancers. Despite its use to treat COVID-19 patients and autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis, the effect of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) on cancer immunotherapy has not been examined. In this study, remarkably, we find that HCQ alone, or in combination with azithromycin (AZ), at doses used to treat patients, decreased the therapeutic…</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Vitamin D and lumisterol novel metabolites can inhibit SARS-COV-2 replication machinery enzymes</strong> - Vitamin D deficiency significantly correlates with the severity of SARS-COV-2 infection. Molecular docking-based virtual screening studies predict that novel vitamin D and related lumisterol hydroxymetabolites are able to bind to the active sites of two SARS-COV-2 transcription machinery enzymes with high affinity. These enzymes are the main protease (M^(pro)) and RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) which play important roles in viral replication and establishing infection. Based on predicted…</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 signaling pathway map: A functional landscape of molecular mechanisms in COVID-19</strong> - Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 has been declared a pandemic by WHO. The clinical manifestation and disease progression in COVID-19 patients varies from minimal symptoms to severe respiratory issues with multiple organ failure. Understanding the mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 interaction with host cells will provide key insights into the effective molecular targets for the development of novel therapeutics. Recent…</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>Computational design of ultrashort peptide inhibitors of the receptor-binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein</strong> - Targeting the interaction between severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-receptor-binding domain (RBD) and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is believed to be an effective strategy for drug design to inhibit the infection of SARS-CoV-2. Herein, several ultrashort peptidase inhibitors against the RBD-ACE2 interaction were obtained by a computer-aided approach based on the RBD-binding residues on the protease domain (PD) of ACE2. The designed peptides were tested on a…</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Discovery of Small Anti-ACE2 Peptides to Inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity</strong> - COVID-19 is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which infects host cells by binding its viral spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) to the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on host cells. Blocking the SARS-CoV-2-RBD/ACE2 interaction is, therefore, a potential strategy to inhibit viral infections. Using a novel biopanning strategy, a small anti-ACE2 peptide is discovered, which shows high affinity and specificity to human ACE2. It blocks not only…</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>Promising Immunotherapies against COVID-19</strong> - Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has led to a severe pandemic and deeply affected the livelihood of people worldwide. In response to the pandemic, researchers have been rapidly studying different aspects of COVID-19, such as virus detection, vaccinations, and epidemiological aspects of the disease. It has been reported that SARS-CoV-2 can induce uncontrolled inflammation and cause a lack of antiviral response, thereby…</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>In silico approach for identification of natural compounds as potential COVID 19 main protease (M(pro)) inhibitors</strong> - With the recent pandemic outbreak and subsequent worldwide spread of COVID-19 from Wuhan city of China, millions of infections and lakhs of deaths have resulted. No registered therapies have been developed to treat infection with COVID-19. The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of herbal drugs as drug target molecules against COVID-19 by molecular docking. The inhibitory effects of natural compounds were analyzed against COVID-19 main protease (M^(pro)). The inhibition 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>SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 Forms Intracellular Aggregates and Inhibits IFNgamma-Induced Antiviral Gene Expression in Human Lung Epithelial Cells</strong> - Infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes COVID-19, a disease that involves significant lung tissue damage. How SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to lung injury remains elusive. The open reading frame 8 (ORF8) protein of SARS-CoV-2 (ORF8^(SARS-CoV-2)) is a unique accessory protein, yet little is known about its cellular function. We examined the cellular distribution of ORF8^(SARS-CoV-2) and its role in the regulation of human lung epithelial cell…</p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Thromboplasminflammation in COVID-19 Coagulopathy: Three Viewpoints for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Strategies</strong> - Thromboplasminflammation in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) coagulopathy consists of angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced coagulopathy, activated factor XII (FXIIa)- and kallikrein, kinin system-enhanced fibrinolysis, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). All three conditions induce systemic inflammation via each pathomechanism-developed production of inflammatory cytokines. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) downregulates angiotensin-converting enzyme 2,…</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>Glycyrrhizic Acid for COVID-19: Findings of Targeting Pivotal Inflammatory Pathways Triggered by SARS-CoV-2</strong> - Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is now a worldwide public health crisis. The causative pathogen is severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Novel therapeutic agents are desperately needed. Because of the frequent mutations in the virus and its ability to cause cytokine storms, targeting the viral proteins has some drawbacks. Targeting cellular factors or pivotal inflammatory pathways triggered by SARS-CoV-2 may produce a broader range of therapies….</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>Effect of Methylene Blue Pathogen Inactivation on the Integrity of Immunoglobulin M and G</strong> - CONCLUSION: MB treatment of plasma does not inhibit the binding capacity of IgM and IgG to their epitopes, or the Fc receptor interaction of IgG. Based on these results, MB treatment of convalescent plasma is appropriate to reduce the risk of pathogen transmission if quarantine storage is omitted.</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 (COVID-19) as a Predictor of Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration: Potential Treatment Strategies</strong> - The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has attracted attention to the challenge of neuroinflammation as an unavoidable component of viral infections. Acute neuroinflammatory responses include activation of resident tissue macrophages in the CNS followed by release of a variety of cytokines and chemokines associated with activation of oxidative stress and delayed neuron damage. This makes the search for treatments with indirect anti-inflammatory properties relevant. From this point of view, attention…</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 and safety of ReDuNing injection as a treatment for COVID-19 and its inhibitory effect against SARS-CoV-2</strong> - CONCLUSIONS: RDN relieves clinical symptoms in patients with COVID-19 and reduces SARS-CoV-2 infection by regulating inflammatory cytokine-related disorders, suggestion that this medication might be a safe and effective treatment for COVID-19.</p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-patent-search">From Patent Search</h1>
<ul>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>SARS-CoV-2 anti-viral therapeutic</strong> - - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=AU327160071">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>MEDIDOR DE SATURACION</strong> - - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=ES325874099">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>폐마스크 밀봉 회수기</strong> - 본 발명은 마스크 착용 후 버려지는 일회용 폐마스크를 비닐봉지에 넣은 후 밀봉하여 배출함으로써, 2차 감염을 예방하고 일반 생활폐기물과 선별 분리 배출하여 환경오염을 방지하는 데 그 목적이 있다. - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=KR325788342">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>백신 냉각 및 해동 기능을 갖는 백신 보관장치</strong> - 본 발명은 백신 냉각 및 해동 기능을 갖는 백신 보관장치에 관한 것으로, 상, 하부하우징의 제1상, 하부누출방지공간에 냉각물질이 충입된 냉각파이프를 설치하되, 제2상, 하부누출방지공간에 가열물질이 충입된 가열파이프를 설치하여, 구획판부에 의해 구획된 백신냉각공간 및 백신해동공간 각각을 냉각 및 가열하고, 보조도어를 통해 백신냉각공간 내에 수용된 백신을 구획판부의 백신출구도어를 통해 백신해동공간으로 이동시켜, 백신해동공간 내에서 백신을 해동함으로써, 즉시 사용이 가능한 백신을 인출도어를 통해 인출할 수 있다. 본 발명에 따르면, 냉각파이프에 저장된 냉매에 의해 백신냉각공간 내의 온도가 극저온 상태로 변화되고, 극저온 상태를 유지하는 백신냉각공간 내에 백신을 저장하여, 안전하게 보관 할 수 있으며, 백신냉각공간 내의 백신을 백신해동공간 내로 이동시켜, 백신해동공간 내에서 백신을 해동할 수 있고, 이 해동된 백신을 인출도어를 통해 인출한 후 즉시 사용할 수 있어 백신을 해동하는 시간이 단축되며, 보조도어를 통해 백신냉각공간 내의 백신을 백신해동공간으로 이동시켜, 백신이 외기에 노출될 우려가 없으며, 백신냉각공간 내의 백신을 백신해동공간으로 이동시키거나 또는 인출도어를 통해 백신 인출시 정렬장치가 백신을 보조도어 및 인출도어 직하방에 자동 위치시킨다. - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=KR327274025">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>백신 인출용 보조도어를 갖는 백신 저온 보관장치</strong> - 본 발명은 백신정렬 기능을 갖는 백신 저온 보관장치에 관한 것으로, 상, 하부하우징의 이중 격벽 안에 냉매가 충입된 냉매파이프를 설치하여, 이 냉매파이프에 의해 상, 하부하우징의 백신 보관 공간이 극저온 상태를 유지하도록 하고, 하부하우징의 가이드벽 사이에 수용된 백신을 정렬장치로 가압하여, 상부하우징의 보조도어 직하방에 백신이 위치되도록 하되, 이때, 보조도어를 개방하여 하부하우징 내에 수용된 백신을 인출하면, 정렬장치가 가이드벽 사이에 수용된 백신을 보조도어 방향으로 밀어내어, 보조도어 직하방에 백신이 순차적으로 자동 위치된다. 본 발명에 따르면, 상, 하부하우징의 이중 격벽 내에 냉매 파이프가 설치되어, 이 냉매 파이프에 저장된 냉매에 의해 백신 보관공간 내의 온도가 극저온 상태로 변화되고, 이 극저온 상태를 유지하는 백신 보관공간 내에 백신을 저장하여, 안전하게 보관 할 수 있으며, 수분이나 외부 공기 유입이 차단되어 백신을 안전하게 보관되고, 온도계와 압력계를 이용하여 백신 보관공간과 냉매 압력을 실시간으로 감지할 수 있고, 보조도어를 통해 백신 보관공간 내의 백신을 독립적으로 인출할 수 있으며, 보조도어를 통해 백신 인출시 정렬장치가 백신을 보조도어 방향으로 밀어내어, 보조도어 직하방에 백신이 자동 위치되고, 외기 유입 방지로 백신 보관공간 내의 온도가 극저온 상태로 유지된다. - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=KR327274024">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>SAFE TOUCH ANTI VIRAL LUGGAGE TROLLEY HANDLE</strong> - The invention is directed to a safe-touch, anti-viral luggage trolley handle, comprising PVC plastic with the addition of a silver-based antimicrobial additive. - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=AU324956574">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Mampara plegable portatil</strong> - Mampara Plegable Portátil (MPP) diseñada para acoplarse/fijarse al borde de una mesa caracterizada por estar formado por dos mordazas o piezas de sujeción al borde de una mesa donde se ensambla la estructura que porta la pantalla o lámina protectora transparente auto enrollable por mecanismo automático. - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=ES325744081">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>METHOD OF IDENTIFYING SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME CORONA VIRUS 2 (SARS-COV-2) RIBONUCLEIC ACID (RNA)</strong> - - <a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=AU323956811">link</a></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Erweiterbare Desinfektionsvorrichtung</strong> -
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
</p><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">Erweiterbare Desinfektionsvorrichtung, umfassend: einen Hauptkörper, der eine umgekehrt U-förmige Basisplatte aufweist, wobei die umgekehrt U-förmige Basisplatte mit einer Öffnung versehen ist und jeweils eine Seitenplatte sich von zwei Seiten der umgekehrt U-förmigen Basisplatte nach außen erstreckt; und mindestens eine Desinfektionslampe, die in den auf zwei Seiten des Hauptkörpers befindlichen Seitenplatten angeordnet ist und eine Lichtemissionseinheit, eine Erfassungseinheit, eine Steuereinheit und eine Stromversorgungseinheit umfasst.</p></li>
</ul>
<img alt="embedded image" id="EMI-D00000"/>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"></p>
<ul>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=DE326402480">link</a></p></li>
<li data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Einfache Sterilisationsvorrichtung</strong> -
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
</p><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">Einfache Sterilisationsvorrichtung, mit einem Hauptkörper (11), der in Längsrichtung einen ersten Plattenabschnitt (111) und in Querrichtung einen zweiten Plattenabschnitt (112) aufweist, wobei der erste Plattenabschnitt (111) und der zweite Plattenabschnitt (112) L-förmig miteinander verbunden sind; und einer Sterilisationslampe (12), die an dem Hauptkörper (11) angeordnet ist und eine Lichtemissionseinheit (121), eine Sensoreinheit (122), eine Steuereinheit (123) und eine Stromeinheit (124) aufweist.</p></li>
</ul>
<img alt="embedded image" id="EMI-D00000"/>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=DE326402479">link</a></li>
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<h1 data-aos="fade-down" id="daily-dose">Daily-Dose</h1>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" data-aos-anchor-placement="top-bottom" id="contents">Contents</h1>
<ul>
<li><a href="#from-new-yorker">From New Yorker</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-vox">From Vox</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-the-hindu-sports">From The Hindu: Sports</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-the-hindu-national-news">From The Hindu: National News</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-bbc-europe">From BBC: Europe</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-ars-technica">From Ars Technica</a></li>
<li><a href="#from-jokes-subreddit">From Jokes Subreddit</a></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-new-yorker">From New Yorker</h1>
<ul>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The Supreme Court’s Surprising Term</strong> - During a time when the country has been starkly divided on matters ranging from the pandemic to the Presidency, the Court has largely avoided partisanship. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/07/05/the-supreme-courts-surprising-term">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Lina Hidalgo’s Political Rise</strong> - The thirty-year-old Houston chief executive is creating a model for how progressives can govern effectively. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/us-journal/lina-hidalgos-political-rise">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>The Unexplained Phenomena of the U.F.O. Report</strong> - A new intelligence document examines a hundred and forty-three sightings that might have been caused by errant balloons, foreign drones, or “Other”—a reserved way of saying aliens. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-unexplained-phenomena-of-the-ufo-report">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Threats Against Election Officials Are a Threat to Democracy</strong> - “To have someone say you deserve a knife to your throat, that you should be executed, that they are going to eff up your family, shakes you,” a former city clerk said. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/threats-against-election-officials-are-a-threat-to-democracy">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>When Parents Forbid the COVID Vaccine</strong> - A teen-ager explains how his parents’ resistance to vaccination has strained their family life, and the options he’s explored for receiving the shot without their permission. - <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-new-yorker-interview/when-parents-forbid-the-covid-vaccine">link</a></p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-vox">From Vox</h1>
<ul>
<li><strong>Why hit songs suddenly matter more than the stars that sing them</strong> -
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/gZThKuDcgUlbGsG6zJf46KjIPfc=/375x0:2626x1688/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69483939/Green_bars_full_color_sized.0.jpg"/>
<figcaption>
Iris Gottlieb for Vox
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Streaming services’ playlists make it easier for listeners to find music worth playing. But experts say they’re also breaking fans’ relationships with artists.
</p>
<div class="c-float-left">
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YYgW4HsU995yniG4Y5QuEoQvF0Y=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/21899595/VOX_The_Highlight_Box_Logo_Horizontal.png"/>
</figure>
</div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="sVwe57">
In 2018, Trevor Daniel released the song <a href="https://youtu.be/L7mfjvdnPno">“Falling”</a> to little fanfare. Its tame take on emo-rap couldn’t hold a candle to the darker more confessional acts like Lil Uzi Vert and Juice WRLD, who pioneered the sound.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="3TCLI5">
But two years later, “Falling” blew up, thanks to the internet. First, it was picked up by influencers on Instagram, then it became a <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@iamtrevordaniel/video/6800142834377837829?lang=en&amp;is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1">TikTok meme</a> featured in more than 3 million videos. The social media hype led to traditional media success: The song spent 38 weeks on <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/trevor-daniel/chart-history/HSI/song/1112720">Billboard’s Hot 100</a>, peaking at 17. It was streamed more than a billion times on Spotify, where it’s featured on prominent playlists like “Chill Hits,” “Beast Mode,” and “Top Gaming Hits.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="mmtqrp">
Then Daniel attempted a star-studded follow-up, ”Past Life,” featuring Selena Gomez and produced by Finneas. The song peaked at No. 77 on Billboard, left the charts in 5 weeks and had just 10 percent of the streams that “Falling” achieved on Spotify. Daniels has yet to come close to replicating the accomplishment of “Falling.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="FzusmO">
Success in the music industry used to rely on radio plays and premium retail “endcap” placements (where stores like Best Buy gave album releases prime real estate). It’s no secret that streaming has changed everything, providing unfettered access to the largest catalog of music in human history.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="r8kuT8">
It also presents a paradox of choice: What should you listen to when you can hear nearly any song that’s ever been recorded? With more and more songs released by more and more musicians on more and more platforms — and less emphasis on traditional media to tell listeners what to like — the sprawl of streaming has upended what it means to be a pop star. For an artist like Daniels, streaming both gave him the opportunity to break out from obscurity and made it exponentially more difficult to have a follow-up hit. That’s because like so many other viral hits, the song, not the artist, became the asset.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="AHXLRW">
“Streaming is a great way to make an artist faceless,” says Lucas Keller, the CEO of the entertainment management company Milk &amp; Honey, which manages some of the biggest producers and songwriters working today. His roster has written for artists including BTS, Ariana Grande, and Gwen Stefani — at one point in 2019, 10 of the songs on top 40 were written or produced by Milk &amp; Honey talent.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="wJhOLD">
“The song,” Keller says, “becomes bigger than the artist.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="xnqDkB">
He cites James Arthur, whose song <a href="https://youtu.be/0yW7w8F2TVA">“Say You Won’t Let Go</a>” reached No. 11 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 2017. It’s a mid-tempo acoustic ballad with a gentle hip-hop groove that fits equally well on pop radio as it does in alternative and adult contemporary formats. And though appearances on Spotify playlists like Mood Booster, Happy This!, Warm Fuzzy Feeling, Chill Hits, and Alone Again helped generate billions of streams for the song and a number of follow-up singles, Arthur has yet to land another Top 40 hit.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="1Vemo7">
There’s more competition on the charts than ever. In 2020, there were more songs on Billboard’s Hot 100 than any year since the 1960s, the last decade when singles, and not albums, drove the recording industry. In 2019, 40,000 songs were uploaded daily to Spotify, according to Music Business Worldwide; in 2021, that number has grown to 60,000. For artists, as the volume of new music releases increases, it’s becoming more difficult to be heard.
</p>
<div class="c-float-right">
<aside id="riHGqk">
<q>“Streaming is a great way to make an artist faceless”</q>
</aside>
</div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="YsCkc2">
Keller puts this volume in perspective: “If you took all of the premium music released on a digital storefront right now, and tried to jam it into a record store, it’d need to be a Home Depot.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="gXGo8w">
To help listeners find their way in the endless aisles of digital music, streaming providers created playlists — but this new way of listening has created unintended consequences for artists and songwriters. Today, three services make up two-thirds of the streaming economy: Spotify, which has an estimated 32 percent of the market, Apple Music (18 percent), and Amazon Music (14 percent). But Spotify dominates the conversation both because of its market power and its immensely popular playlists. In 2017, 68 percent of all listening on Spotify was from a company or user playlist, according to the company’s 2018 Securities and Exchange Commission <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1639920/000119312518063434/d494294df1.htm">filing</a>. Its platform has more than 4 billion playlists, 3,000 of which are owned by Spotify, curated by a mix of algorithms and editors.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="9KjCpS">
Its most prominent playlists have serious cultural power. RapCaviar shapes the sound of hip-hop, and can turn <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2017/09/spotify-rapcaviar-most-influential-playlist-in-music.html">indie rappers into household names</a>. The genre-agnostic, slightly quirky playlist <a href="https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/lorem-curator-lizzy-szabo-on-making-spotifys-coolest-playlist">Lorem</a> curates the vibe for Spotify’s Gen Z listeners. In 2020, listeners ages 16 to 40 used playlists as their <a href="https://ads.spotify.com/en-US/2020-wrapped/">primary source</a> for discovering new music on the platform, according to the company. So today, a placement atop one of its playlists can make or break a song.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="FvSeiT">
Spotify isn’t shy about the marketing power of its playlists. In its SEC filing, the company wrote as much, crediting Lorde’s breakout global success to <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1639920/000119312518063434/d494294df1.htm">her placement</a> on a single playlist: Sean Parker’s Hipster International. But her example may be an outlier. The challenge for most artists is that playlist listeners frequently don’t know who they’re listening to. A song with high completion rates on a playlist might end up on more playlists, accumulating millions of streams for an artist who remains effectively nameless. In the best-case scenario, these streams, which pay very low royalties compared to radio, could help land the song a coveted advertisement, or better yet, pique the attention of Top 40 radio programmers.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Cs08st">
But pop stardom has always relied on a blend of catchy songs and compelling personas. “The music video era gave you a big dose of their personality whenever you discovered new songs. And the same thing with an album,” says music producer Jesse Cannon.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="FnKmWT">
An <a href="https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2013/06/mtv-study-unlocks-7-secrets-of-the-musician-fan-relationship.html">MTV study</a> on fandom showed that fans expect to have direct interaction with artists. But in a music economy built on playlists, the listener is much less likely to be aware of who they’re listening to. Playlists are a “lean back” experience. You choose the mood you’re in, and the music just flows. Cannon believes that playlisting is breaking the fan-artist connection: “When we’re making playlists, there’s no depth whatsoever to the relationship.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="K69wpx">
Even if playlists work against persona-based star power, artists are still desperate to appear on them to create buzz for their music. “The buzz-making, hit-making economy has gone from top down, to bottom up,” says Slate’s chart expert Chris Molanphy. “It used to be that you pushed things at radio, and that made people buy the single, buy the album.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="DSqqk8">
Now songs develop on social media platforms, and grow on playlists, before making it to radio. Music marketers have repositioned themselves to build influence over TikTok feeds. PR firms market their ability to get their clients on playlists, though Spotify maintains a stance of editorial independence.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="OfTtcu">
Even success on a small playlist helps boost an artist’s chances of getting noticed by an algorithm or editor and being placed on a larger playlist. (While researching this article, I received an email from an independent artist asking for placement on my playlist with 199 followers: “I just came across your playlist, ‘Silk Sonic’s Retro Soul,’” they wrote. “I have a song … that I think would be perfect for the playlist.” A link to the song was attached.)
</p>
<div class="c-float-right">
<aside id="9qqsaY">
<q>Cannon believes that playlisting is breaking the fan-artist connection: “When we’re making playlists, there’s no depth whatsoever to the relationship” </q>
</aside>
</div>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="34nsng">
This is one way would-be pop stars suffer in the new music economy: Playlists have become such an essential part of a song’s success that an underworld of playlist promoters have emerged to exploit this musical ponzi scheme. Independent artists often pay hundreds of dollars to them hoping for exclusive placements on popular playlists. The labels are in on it, too. Spotify provides an egalitarian service where everyone, whether distributed by an indie or major label, submits songs for playlisting. But according to Cannon, labels have direct access to the company through reps, and regularly wine-and-dine key decision makers at the company.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="Zwa1Wh">
Spotify’s guidelines do not allow for paid playlist promotion. Still, thousands of <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/spotify-streams-third-party-playlisting-1033700/">pay-to-play</a> lists exist on the platform. And Spotify has its own <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/11/2/21545958/spotify-artist-tiktok-promotion-rate-royalty-algorithm">program</a> to boost the likelihood of landing on a playlist if artists and songwriters are willing to accept a lower royalty rate on promoted songs. Called “Discovery Mode,” it’s currently being <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/spotify-discovery-mode-congress-1234962754/">probed by Congress</a> for the practice of forcing lower royalties; representatives from the House Judiciary Committee want to find out if Spotify is limiting choice and hurting artist revenues. Spotify has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/nov/03/spotify-artists-promote-music-exchange-cut-royalty-rates-payola-algorithm">argued</a> that this program is an essential way for artists to highlight which songs they want to prioritize to be heard, even if they’re not seen.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="4Hvu85">
For upstart musicians, the bottom-up model is the only choice. Without the old gatekeepers, in rare cases, indie artists can break outside of the major-label ecosystem. Cannon cites <a href="https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9542817/penelope-scott-interview-tiktok-rat/">Penelope Scott</a> as a prototypical example. She makes obscure baroque punk, but her music has expanded beyond her niche. Her song “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqyXvMrQDk8">Rät</a>” has “lyrics that are so extremely online” that they’ve inspired thousands of <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/penelope-scott-rat-6888021894793071366?is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1">TikTok</a> videos, and that led to Spotify playlists and even a place on Billboard’s Hot Rock &amp; Alternative charts. “That is what gets around the gatekeeper,” says Cannon. “This girl reached 3 million monthly listeners without any coverage.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="N28Nfq">
But overnight viral stars are rare, and building a lasting audience is harder than ever as social media platforms are flooded by celebrities and established acts. Many artists who break out on TikTok become <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/features/tiktok-one-hit-wonders-1028449/">one-hit wonders</a>. Their songs eclipse their short-lived public identities as audiences move onto the next meme. And those who do break out still need to work their way up the ladder from social media to streaming, and finally, to radio to reap financial rewards.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="alRAMV">
Performers aren’t the only ones affected by streaming. Though streaming has been a financial boon for labels, songwriters still depend on radio play for the bulk of their income — radio pays much higher royalties to songwriters compared to streaming. Emily Warren, who has written hits for Dua Lipa and the Chainsmokers among many others, told me that she knows songwriters with hundreds of millions of streams and Grammy nominations who still drive Uber for a living. But she says that a songwriter with just two big radio hits is set up to retire.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="zPAekk">
These distorted economics change the kind of songs that are written. “[Songwriters] are just chasing radio. The only way a writer can make any money is if they have a radio single,” Warren says. Even though it’s been <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/03/14/opinion/pop-music-songwriting.html">widely reported</a> that streaming has changed the sound of pop music, artists still fight for radio listeners, who skew older and more conservative in their tastes.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="5chQHw">
There may be some truth to the age-old criticism of all pop music sounding the same. Before iTunes started selling songs as singles, songwriters could make money off of deep album cuts: “There used to be so much money and value in any kind of song, and anywhere on the album. You could have track eight on an album that had a big single and you would make so much money off of it,” Warren says. She believes that album sales allowed songwriters to take more risks and find new sounds. By comparison, the Top 40 radio format of old-school anthemic choruses is creatively restraining. Warren says that these financial incentives are holding popular music back: “If songwriters start being compensated, there will be a musical renaissance.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="vxkOGF">
As artist and songwriter Julia Michaels puts it, “With streaming, songwriters are lucky if they make anything. If you don’t have the single, you’re basically fucked.” And in the bottom-up method of hit-making, promoting a single across every platform is exhausting.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="wqEpXn">
Michaels believes that the creative laborers in popular music are feeling pressure to compete with every online influencer: “It is definitely a scary time for songwriters. And it’s kind of a scary time to be an artist, too. There’s a lot of expectations. You have to be a TikTok star. You have to be on social media all the time. You have to be a model.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="8cpHan">
Today’s streaming economy looks a lot like the larger economy. Michaels explains that now, “if you’re not in the top 1 percent, it is not lucrative at all.” In fact, the pool that makes a decent paycheck is much smaller than the 1 percent — only <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/18/22336087/spotify-loud-clear-website-launch-pay-artists-streaming-royalities">13,400 artists</a> earned more than $50,000 on Spotify in 2020. Just 870 made it rich, bringing in more than $1 million.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="GovgMS">
As for Trevor Daniel? Chart whisperer Molanphy says that he’s in the “middle of the pack — neither a nobody, nor a chart-topper — who now has to find his way in this weird new economy of hit-making.” With so much financial uncertainty in music, it’s not surprising that so many artists are selling their <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/wx84yz/why-so-many-musicians-are-selling-their-catalogs-bob-dylan-neil-young-shakira-hipgnosis">catalogs</a> and speculating with cryptocurrencies and <a href="https://www.vox.com/the-goods/22313936/non-fungible-tokens-crypto-explained">NFTs</a>.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="tyTO2t">
The age-old business of writing and releasing songs has been upended. Now every song has to find a life on a half-dozen different formats to be a hit. What was never easy is only getting harder. While we’re daydreaming to our “<a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX889U0CL85jj?si=8639439a174d4ee0">Chill Vibes</a>” playlist, artists and songwriters are flailing to get our attention.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="N8xm6F">
<em>Charlie Harding is a songwriter and executive producer and co-host of Vox Media’s </em>Switched on Pop<em> podcast, which looks at phenomena in pop music. </em>
</p>
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<li><strong>Digital blackface led to TikTok’s first strike</strong> -
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3PANTCHjGRLXtxXfqlJZaHYFzZ8=/168x0:3595x2570/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69517690/GettyImages_1325820870.0.jpg"/>
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Megan Thee Stallion performs at the 2021 BET Awards in Los Angeles. | Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for BET
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
And it’s soundtracked by Meg Thee Stallion.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="C3xhU0">
Earlier this June, Meg Thee Stallion’s “Thot Shit” was poised to take over TikTok. It’s compulsively danceable and full of quotable “Hot Girl Summer”-isms, but a scroll through the song’s official sound on the app unveils a wasteland of mediocre lip-syncs and unimaginative — to say the least — <a href="https://twitter.com/stillnaima/status/1406792415952912386">dance trends</a>.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="WDjh6c">
“Megan says, ‘Hands on my knees. Shaking ass, on my thot shit.’ … You could not have possibly gone so far in the opposite direction,” says <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@xosugarbunny/video/6975344579960786181?referer_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.insider.com%2F&amp;referer_video_id=6975344579960786181&amp;refer=embed">a viral TikTok from user</a> <span class="citation" data-cites="xosugarbunny">@xosugarbunny</span>. “The instructions are right there.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="EpGzcb">
Fast forward weeks later, and a viral dance challenge has yet to emerge — because Black content creators, fed up with rampant cultural appropriation on the platform, are refusing to dance to the song. Dubbed the “<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BlackTikTokStrike&amp;src=typeahead_click">#BlackTikTok Strike</a>,” Black TikTokers are hitting pause on their dance tutorials indefinitely, making this the first collective action the platform has seen, where creators are equating uncredited trends with unpaid labor.
</p>
<div id="gpkzIW">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
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This video is a sociology class. <a href="https://t.co/vLWse61wD2">pic.twitter.com/vLWse61wD2</a>
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— Naima Cochrane’s Burner Acct (<span class="citation" data-cites="stillnaima">@stillnaima</span>) <a href="https://twitter.com/stillnaima/status/1406792415952912386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2021</a>
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</ul>
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The move comes on the heels of the <a href="https://www.vox.com/2020/6/18/21294825/history-of-juneteenth">now-national holiday Juneteenth</a>, which signifies the day in 1865 when a group of enslaved people in Texas learned of their emancipation three years late, but also amid larger conversations about race and appropriation on the platform. One such recent controversy saw white female creators flooding TikTok with videos of <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ttdramanews/video/6975325064078134534?_d=secCgYIASAHKAESMgowNjx9GK0QJ1mSMiUFygapqU4BX8audKdoJ0FdUDEphCFJJY4JE%2F64XfmUUQ0THnTOGgA%3D&amp;checksum=227b35eac8adcec882ff1c5efce9783430c65bd2c35efdb3af3b60c8a6e7b366&amp;enable_clips=1&amp;language=en&amp;preview_pb=0&amp;sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAAM82KUQNZuhYRfghAMdakBdv2ZMO1idg11xDQ4BoNAS6d79ToJrFimoyk2QcAp0LB&amp;share_app_id=1233&amp;share_item_id=6975325064078134534&amp;share_link_id=6DD8E11E-E6C2-4D58-A8E4-D757D3CE542A&amp;source=h5_m&amp;timestamp=1624895975&amp;tt_from=sms&amp;u_code=d7h4g8h33d2bkf&amp;user_id=6722268051407193093&amp;utm_campaign=client_share&amp;utm_medium=ios&amp;utm_source=sms&amp;_r=1">lip-syncing along to Nicki Minaj’s “Black Barbies.”</a> While the trend first emerged as a way to celebrate Black beauty, it’s now a site of heated discourse on the lengths to which non-Black creators will go to pantomime Black culture for views.
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“As Black folk, we’ve always been aware that we’ve been excluded and othered. Even in the spaces we’ve managed to create for ourselves — whether it be in music, fashion, language, or dance — non-Black folk continuously infiltrate and occupy these spaces with no respect for the architects who built them,” says <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@theericklouis?lang=en">Erick Louis</a>, a dancer and TikToker from Florida whose content traverses the space between social commentary and off-the-cuff humor. “We’re mobilizing in this way because it’s necessary and it’s something we’ve been saying among ourselves for quite a while now.”
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<div id="xTcNCr">
<blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@ttdramanews/video/6975325064078134534" class="tiktok-embed">
<section>
<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ttdramanews" target="_blank" title="@ttdramanews"><span class="citation" data-cites="ttdramanews">@ttdramanews</span></a>
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<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/blackbarbie" target="_blank" title="blackbarbie">#blackbarbie</a> drama explained
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<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Black-Barbies-6918462615270247170" target="_blank" title="♬ Black Barbies - Bhad Bhabie">♬ Black Barbies - Bhad Bhabie</a>
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Louis was among the first to officially post about the strike on TikTok, uploading a video on June 19 of him faking out viewers with promises of a dance to “Thot Shit” before declaring, “Sike. This app would be nothing without [Black] people.”
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And as if an internet prophet, Louis later found his act of protest stolen. Days later, a pair of white creators uploaded themselves <a href="https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdfdX3px/">mimicking Louis’s moves without crediting him</a>, only for the now-deleted video to receive north of a million views.
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The virality vacuum of the internet has always made the concept of credit nebulous. “Dances are virtually impossible to legally claim as one’s own,” after all, writes The Goods’ Rebecca Jennings <a href="https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2020/2/4/21112444/renegade-tiktok-song-dance">on the ethics of the dance trend</a>. And while until recently it was <a href="https://www.theverge.com/22310188/nft-explainer-what-is-blockchain-crypto-art-faq">nearly impossible to own a meme</a>, Black trauma and culture have long been the unsung soundtrack of the internet.
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<blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@theericklouis/video/6975951032186719494" class="tiktok-embed">
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<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@theericklouis" target="_blank" title="@theericklouis"><span class="citation" data-cites="theericklouis">@theericklouis</span></a>
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Am I buggin’
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<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-6975951092114868998" target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - ericklouis">♬ original sound - ericklouis</a>
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In the 2010s, Sweet Brown went from recounting an apartment fire on the nightly news to becoming an internet sensation, as her declaration of “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” became the answer to any minor inconvenience — <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516588&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.quora.com%2FWhat-is-your-favorite-aint-nobody-got-time-for-that-meme&amp;referrer=vox.com&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vox.com%2Fthe-goods%2F2021%2F6%2F29%2F22554596%2Fdigital-blackface-megan-thee-stallion-song-tiktok-first-strike" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">computer updates</a> and <a href="http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3tqe39">pleasantries</a> included. Then came this year’s <a href="https://www.realitytitbit.com/celebrity-gossip-and-news/double-homicide-meme-joselines-cabaret">Double Homicide meme</a>. Devoid of context, the voiceover from Joseline Hernandez’s reality competition show <em>Joseline’s Cabaret </em>pokes fun at casual adversities, like <a href="https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMd5VR75B/">bad sex</a> or <a href="https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMd5VR75B/">an awkward body type</a>. In reality, the phrase is a response to a contestant sharing how she terminated a twin pregnancy.
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The point: Blackness, whether related to joy or pain, is <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-evolution-digital-blackface/">a shortcut to internet fame</a> and all it brings. But as white creators turn these moments into personal brands, sponsorship deals, and small-time media empires, a larger question exists: Should this content be theirs to claim in the first place?
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“Black creators carry TikTok on our backs. We make the trends, we give the looks, we are funniest — there’s no argument about it,” says Louis. “But what ends up happening is non-Black folk appropriate our content, and they end up being the faces of what Black folks created.”
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="DcrCDM">
<a href="https://onezero.medium.com/tiktoks-digital-blackface-problem-409571589a8">Digital blackface</a>, or the co-opting of dances, memes, and slang popularized by Black creators by the non-Black side of the internet, is committed so casually and frequently that it feels like the default mode of shitposting. And why wouldn’t it? It’s how two of TikTok’s biggest darlings found their stride.
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For months, Charli D’Amelio let herself be described as the “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/13/style/the-original-renegade.html">C.E.O. of Renegade</a>,’’ a 30-second dance combination set to the chorus of K Camp’s “Lottery” that made its rounds on short-form video apps Funimate and Dubsmash before hitting Instagram and then TikTok in 2019. Charli D’Amelio’s identity is forever intertwined with the dance, its peak hitting when she performed it courtside at the 2020 NBA Dunk Contest, despite having nothing to do with its creation. The dance’s real choreographer, 15-year-old Jalaiah Harmon, remained undiscovered until <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/13/style/the-original-renegade.html">a New York Times profile ran</a>, and she spent months asking for acknowledgment in TikTok’s comments section.
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“I think I could have gotten money for it, promos for it, I could have gotten famous off it, get noticed,” Harmon told the Times. “I don’t think any of that stuff has happened for me because no one knows I made the dance.”
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D’Amelio is <a href="https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/singers/charli-damelio-net-worth/">rumored to be worth $8 million</a>, her teenaged wealth an amalgamation of a $1 million deal with Sabra hummus and a going rate of $100,000 per sponsored social media post. Harmon, meanwhile, is rumored to be worth between <a href="https://www.fameranker.com/jalaiah-harmon-net-worth">$70,000 </a>and <a href="https://celebsfortune.com/jalaiah-harmon-net-worth/">$100,000</a>.
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Then, of course, came the matter of Addison Rae Easterling’s March 2021 <em>Jimmy Fallon</em> appearance, where the influencer performed low-energy renditions of Mya Johnson’s and Chris Cotter’s “Up,” Dorien Scott’s “Corvette Corvette,” Camyra Franklin’s “Laffy Taffy,” and Keara Wilson’s “Savage” without credit.
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“[It] was kind of hard to credit during the show,” Easterling <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2021/03/29/addison-rae-jimmy-fallon-tiktok-dance-controversy-black-creators-collab/">told TMZ</a> after the appearance. “It was never my intention and they definitely deserve all the credit, because they came up with these amazing trends.”
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="bDEw5r">
It’s not that Black creators never receive credit for the trends they originate. It’s that they consistently receive it after a public about-face, where any autonomy they had over their de facto creative property is stripped from them by layers of white creators, adoring fans, media appearances, and ensuing backlash.
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="YFwAPo">
Harmon got to <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2020/02/renegade-creator-jalaiah-harmon-dances-at-nba-all-star-game.html">dance with D’Amelio at the NBA All-Star Game</a>, but only after a firestorm of criticism. And the original creators of the dances Easterling performed were <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdal1YTQjIY">invited to <em>Jimmy Fallon</em> to perform their dances virtually</a> after a show break, but not until after the show was lambasted. There’s something about each of these moments that feels less like a celebration and more like the moment before you exhale. It’s not so much a “Congratulations” as an “About Time.”
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="OOOsGM">
“With the amount of policing already going on on the app, to finally have a video that does well, or like to get some form of recognition, and then have it ripped away from you hurts,” says Louis. “And then to not get credited also adds on to the already open wounds.”
</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>The FTC’s antitrust complaint against Facebook has been dismissed — for now</strong> -
<figure>
<img alt="A blurry capture of a man walking past a large blue-and-white Facebook logo on display in a lobby." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ktPatdwUmuR42RNRNLevNEylGlI=/0x0:3177x2383/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69516119/1177856487.0.jpg"/>
<figcaption>
Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images
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<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Some politicians have viewed the ruling as a call for Congress to update aged antitrust laws.
</p>
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The antitrust push targeting Facebook hit a significant roadblock on Monday when a federal court dismissed antitrust lawsuits that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and 48 states had filed against the tech giant.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="koMQCq">
The dismissal is a major win for Facebook, which — along with Amazon, Apple, and Google — has been <a href="https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/10/6/21505027/congress-big-tech-antitrust-report-facebook-google-amazon-apple-mark-zuckerberg-jeff-bezos-tim-cook">facing increasing scrutiny about whether it’s engaging in monopolistic behavior</a> to stifle its competition. It’s also a major setback for the growing bipartisan political movement in the US to rein in Big Tech’s power. And it signals that the path forward for antitrust enforcement against these companies may require lawmakers to revisit existing US antitrust law, which had its last major overhaul in the early 1900’s — well before the internet age.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="zojK1y">
The FTC’s lawsuit against Facebook argued that Facebook has engaged in monopolistic behavior against its competitors, but on Monday the judge’s ruling said the FTC’s argument wasn’t clear enough.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="RidqVh">
“The FTC has failed to plead enough facts to plausibly establish a necessary element of all of its Section 2 claims — namely, that Facebook has monopoly power in the market,” reads <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.224921/gov.uscourts.dcd.224921.73.0.pdf">a part of</a> the filing from the US District Court for the District of Columbia. The filing goes on to criticize the FTC’s complaint against Facebook for containing “nothing on that score save the naked allegation” that the company has a dominant share of the market in the “personal social networking” industry.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="DNjLeP">
“It is almost as if the agency [the FTC] expects the Court to simply nod to the conventional wisdom that Facebook is a monopolist,” states another part of the filing.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="xspLDX">
The court also dismissed a parallel complaint to the FTC which was filed by 48 state attorney generals in December. In its dismissal of the states’ complaint, the judge ruled the states had taken too long to take issue with Facebook’s acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp, which were acquired in 2012 and 2014, respectively.
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Immediately following the court’s decisions, Facebook’s shares <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/28/judge-dismisses-ftc-antitrust-complaint-against-facebook.html">rose by more than 4 percent</a>.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="v8rKk1">
“We are pleased that today’s decisions recognize the defects in the government complaints filed against Facebook,” a Facebook company spokesperson wrote in a statement. “We compete fairly every day to earn people’s time and attention and will continue to deliver great products for the people and businesses that use our services.”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="KKFH0Y">
A spokesperson for the FTC shared the following statement with Recode in response to the complaint being dismissed:
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="VuuovC">
“The FTC is closely reviewing the opinion and assessing the best option forward.”
</p>
<h3 id="pPVfJF">
Facebook may be in the clear for now with the FTC, but the larger antitrust case against the company is far from over
</h3>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="mrfb4y">
Despite the court’s dismissal, the FTC’s case against Facebook still isn’t completely closed.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="IOqiYx">
For one, the court is allowing the FTC to submit a more detailed amended complaint against Facebook within 30 days, which it would re-review.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="6ZkScl">
And more broadly, the FTC and its <a href="https://www.vox.com/recode/22537529/tech-battle-antitrust-regulation-lina-khan-ftc-google-facebook-apple-amazon-cicilline-congress">newly appointed chair, Lina Khan</a>, who is well-known for her scrutiny of Big Tech, can pursue other methods for limiting these giants’ power.<strong> </strong>Beyond this existing case, the FTC could directly file a new case against Facebook within its own administration without needing to involve the federal court system. But as we’ve seen in the past, even <a href="https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/7/24/20708359/facebook-ftc-settlement-criticism-5-billion-privacy-review-antitrust-mark-zuckerberg">record-setting settlements</a> between the FTC and Facebook haven’t had much of an impact<a href="https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/7/24/20708359/facebook-ftc-settlement-criticism-5-billion-privacy-review-antitrust-mark-zuckerberg"> </a>on how the company does business.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="tgFJXa">
Some powerful politicians have viewed today’s rulings as a call for Congress to update aged antitrust laws so they can apply to modern-day tech companies.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="UtPyFJ">
Earlier this month, <a href="https://www.vox.com/recode/22529779/antitrust-bills-house-big-tech">a bipartisan group of legislators</a> led by Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) and Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) put out five antitrust bills intended to limit the economic power of major tech companies. Those bills included several that would update the laws around antitrust to more specifically target tech companies.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="nzxGWd">
Shortly after news of the dismissal of the FTC complaint against Facebook came out, Rep. Buck tweeted that the court dismissal of the FTC’s complaint was a reason why antitrust laws need updating.
</p>
<div id="QlcWI0">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" dir="ltr" lang="en">
Today’s development in the FTC’s case against Facebook shows that antitrust reform is urgently needed. Congress needs to provide additional tools and resources to our antitrust enforcers to go after Big Tech companies engaging in anticompetitive conduct. <a href="https://t.co/AGvSacj8kb">https://t.co/AGvSacj8kb</a>
</p>
— Rep. Ken Buck (<span class="citation" data-cites="RepKenBuck">@RepKenBuck</span>) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepKenBuck/status/1409594342860283904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2021</a>
</blockquote></div></li>
</ul>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="5ahyWv">
“This intensifies the demand for legislative reform unmistakably,” said Bill Kovacic, former chair of the FTC under George W. Bush’s presidency. “This will be proof for the advocates of [antitrust law] reform that ‘This is what you get by going to court.’”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="2vE34F">
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), who is a vocal Republican critic of major tech companies, <a href="https://twitter.com/HawleyMO/status/1409592369012482048">also tweeted his disappointment</a> with today’s outcome.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom" id="ibSJrD">
So while the decisions may offer temporary relief to Facebook, it’s only for the moment. Larger challenges lie ahead — and the court’s opinions today may galvanize lawmakers to take a new approach to antitrust enforcement of Big Tech.
</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>Tim Southee auctions signed WTC final jersey to raise funds for 8-year-old girl suffering from cancer</strong> - Hollie Beattie was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of cancer called neuroblastoma back in 2018</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>T20 World Cup to be held from October 17-November 14: ICC</strong> - BCCI will remain the hosts of the event, which will now be held in Dubai International Stadium, the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the Sharjah Stadium, and the Oman Cricket Academy Ground</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>Jamieson hid in bathroom to escape tension of New Zealand’s run chase in WTC final</strong> - Jamieson, who was the Man of the Match for his seven wickets in the final, felt nervous while watching the action from the dressing room</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>Ash Barty commits to Australia’s tennis team for Tokyo Olympics</strong> - She missed most of the 2020 season after her semifinal loss at the Australian Open</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>Edgbaston to host England-Pakistan ODI with 80% capacity</strong> - Edgbaston will be able to accommodate around 19,000 fans including under 16s</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>No shortage of COVID-19 vaccines in Karnataka, claims Health Minister K. Sudhakar</strong> - On June 28, Mysuru District Health Officer K.H. Prasad revealed that the district had run out of vaccine</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>Why Centre’s approval needed for door-to-door vaccination, HC asks Maharashtra govt</strong> - Maharashtra filed an affidavit in the HC, saying home vaccination on an experimental basis can be started, but only for those who are completely immobile and bedridden</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>3 children among 36 booked for attack on Assam doctor</strong> - The mob turned violent after the death of a COVID-19 patient</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>Monsoon session of Parliament likely from July 19</strong> - This session will have 20 sittings</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>Facebook representatives depose before parliamentary panel on issue of social media misuse</strong> - Facebook’s country public policy director Shivnath Thukral and general counsel Namrata Singh deposed before the panel on Tuesday</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>French lesbians and single women to get IVF rights</strong> - After years of heated debate France is to extend fertility treatment to lesbians and single women.</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>Picasso painting found as builder arrested over art heist</strong> - Police explain how they recovered paintings stolen in an audacious 2012 raid on an Athens museum.</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>Covishield: India seeks EU travel approval for its main vaccine</strong> - The Serum Institute is seeking emergency authorisation in the EU for its vaccine, sources told the BBC.</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>EU approves data flow to UK but adds sunset clause</strong> - Personal data can continue to be sent if UK maintains “adequate” data protection.</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>Justice DJ and producer Gaspard Augé on his ‘epic’ Euro 2020 theme song</strong> - One half of French electro stars Justice has provided the soundtrack to a summer of football.</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>Hackers exploited 0-day, not 2018 bug, to mass-wipe My Book Live devices</strong> - Western Digital removed code that would have prevented the wiping of petabytes of data. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1776939">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Physicists confirm two cases of “elusive” black hole/neutron star mergers</strong> - When a neutron star and a black hole love each other very, very much…. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1776627">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Controversial Alzheimer’s drug could cost US $334B—nearly half of DoD budget</strong> - Despite unproven efficacy, Biogen set the drug’s list price at $56,000 per year. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1776882">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>AT&amp;T gives investors and gov’t wildly different takes on need for fiber Internet</strong> - AT&amp;T to investors: Fiber is the best! AT&amp;T to gov’t: Don’t give rural people fiber! - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1776858">link</a></p></li>
<li><p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"><strong>Xbox Game Streaming exits beta, now works on all iOS devices, web browsers</strong> - Requires $15/mo Game Pass Ultimate sub; follows last week’s Series X server upgrade. - <a href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=1776840">link</a></p></li>
</ul>
<h1 data-aos="fade-right" id="from-jokes-subreddit">From Jokes Subreddit</h1>
<ul>
<li><strong>I had to tell my wife that I lost all our money in a cock fight</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
That sounded much better than gay prostitute
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
EDIT: Given the rising toxicity since we’ve hit <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/all">r/all</a> allow me to refer to the <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/jokes">r/jokes</a> tag on the top left of your screen. Peace!
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/sdric"> /u/sdric </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o9yjpd/i_had_to_tell_my_wife_that_i_lost_all_our_money/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o9yjpd/i_had_to_tell_my_wife_that_i_lost_all_our_money/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><strong>An elderly gentleman goes to his..</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
doctor for a physical, checked his bloodwork, heart and lungs, everything looks great! The doctor said he had one more test to perform. He needed the man to go home to collect a sperm sample in this jar to see how his reproductive health is.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The old man says no problem with a smile.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The next morning, the man returns and the doctor greets him. He hands the doctor the empty jar. The doc asked what happened?
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The old man begins "You see, I came home, and first tried with my right hand. And then with my left. I tried with both hands and still nothing… I asked my wife for help. She tried with her right hand, then her left, and then both, still nothing. Then she tried with her mouth, first teeth in then teeth out… Still nothing.
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
We decided to call over our neighbor, lovely young woman, helps us out time to time. She said she would come over to help. She tries with her right hand, then her left. With both… She tried with her mouth, first teeth in then teeth out, she even stuck it between her knees…."
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The doctor cut him off… “YOU ASKED YOUR NEIGHBOR?!”
</p>
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Old man simply responds, “Well yes, None of us could get the Jar open!!!”
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Wikydtron"> /u/Wikydtron </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o9w3v0/an_elderly_gentleman_goes_to_his/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o9w3v0/an_elderly_gentleman_goes_to_his/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><strong>My Chinese waiter thinks all white people look alike and gave my food to the wrong customer</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Wait. Never mind. That wasn’t my waiter.
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Genius_Mate"> /u/Genius_Mate </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o9j5cz/my_chinese_waiter_thinks_all_white_people_look/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o9j5cz/my_chinese_waiter_thinks_all_white_people_look/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><strong>Wife: “You always get the worst anniversary gifts.”</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
Husband: “You didn’t say over. Over.”
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/buggaby"> /u/buggaby </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o9r5o0/wife_you_always_get_the_worst_anniversary_gifts/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o9r5o0/wife_you_always_get_the_worst_anniversary_gifts/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
<li><strong>I’ve just applied for a job in a salad packing factory.</strong> - <!-- SC_OFF -->
<div class="md">
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom">
The hours are terrible, but apparently the celery is good.
</p>
</div>
<!-- SC_ON -->
<p data-aos="fade-left" data-aos-anchor-placement="bottom-bottom"> submitted by <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/VERBERD"> /u/VERBERD </a> <br/> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o9uuys/ive_just_applied_for_a_job_in_a_salad_packing/">[link]</a></span> <span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Jokes/comments/o9uuys/ive_just_applied_for_a_job_in_a_salad_packing/">[comments]</a></span></p></li>
</ul>
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