Ensemble cryo-electron microscopy reveals conformational states of the nsp13 helicase in the SARS-CoV-2 helicase replication-transcription complex -
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+The SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural proteins coordinate genome replication and gene expression. Structural analyses revealed the basis for coupling of the essential nsp13 helicase with the RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) where the holo-RdRp and RNA substrate (the replication-transcription complex, or RTC) associated with two copies of nsp13 (nsp132-RTC). One copy of nsp13 interacts with the template RNA in an opposing polarity to the RdRp and is envisaged to drive the RdRp backwards on the RNA template (backtracking), prompting questions as to how the RdRp can efficiently synthesize RNA in the presence of nsp13. Here, we use cryo-electron microscopy and molecular dynamics simulations to analyze the nsp132-RTC, revealing four distinct conformational states of the helicases. The results suggest a mechanism for the nsp132-RTC to turn backtracking on and off, using an allosteric mechanism to switch between RNA synthesis or backtracking in response to stimuli at the RdRp active site.
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Nebulized delivery of a broadly neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 RBD-specific nanobody prevents clinical, virological and pathological disease in a Syrian hamster model of COVID-19 -
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+There remains an unmet need for globally deployable, low-cost therapeutics for the ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Previously, we reported on the isolation and in vitro characterization of a potent single-domain nanobody, NIH-CoVnb-112, specific for the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we report on the molecular basis for the observed broad in vitro neutralization capability of NIH-CoVnb-112 against variant SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviruses, including the currently dominant Delta variant. The structure of NIH-CoVnb-112 bound to SARS- CoV-2 RBD reveals a large contact surface area overlapping the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) binding site, which is largely unencumbered by the common RBD mutations. In an in vivo pilot study, we demonstrate effective reductions in weight loss, viral burden, and lung pathology in a Syrian hamster model of COVID-19 following nebulized delivery of NIH-CoVnb-112. These findings support the further development of NIH-CoVnb-112 as a potential adjunct preventative therapeutic for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Expression and novel alternative purification of the recombinant nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS-CoV-2 in Escherichia coli for the serodiagnosis of COVID-19 -
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+The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus causes severe acute respiratory syndrome and has caused a global pandemic by causing the COVID-19 disease. To monitor and control it, diagnostic methods such as molecular and serological tests are necessary. The serological approach use SARS-CoV-2 antigens to detect the antibodies present in patients using quantitative techniques such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or qualitative rapid tests such as lateral flow chromatography (RDT’s). The main antigens used are the spike protein (S) and the nucleocapsid protein (N). Both proteins are obtained in different expression systems, in eukaryotic cells, their production is expensive, so in this work we chose a simpler and cheaper system such as prokaryotic to express and purify the N protein. Thereore, the nucleotide sequence had to being optimized to be expressed in Escherichia coli. The protein N is sensitive to E.coli proteases and also has the ability to self-proteolyze under native conditions, degrading into different fragments. However, under denaturing conditions, using urea and at pH 5.3 it is stable and efficiently purified using metal exchange chromatography (IMAC). In our purification strategy, we surprisingly found that by not using a sonicator, a homogeneous and time-stable preparation of the recombinant antigen is obtained. An approximate yield of 200 mg / L was obtained. It was then tested with healthy sera and sera from COVID-19 convalescent patients in Wester-blot tests that were able to recognize it. Our work provides a novel strategy to produce the SARS-CoV-2 protein N so that it can be used as an input in the development and innovation of serological tests in the diagnosis of COVID-19.
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Total virome characterizations of game animals in China reveals a spectrum of emerging viral pathogens -
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+Game animals are wildlife species often traded and consumed as exotic food, and are potential reservoirs for SARS- CoV and SARS-CoV-2. We performed a meta-transcriptomic analysis of 1725 game animals, representing 16 species and five mammalian orders, sampled across China. From this we identified 71 mammalian viruses, with 45 described for the first time. Eighteen viruses were considered as potentially high risk to humans and domestic animals. Civets (Paguma larvata) carried the highest number of potentially high risk viruses. We identified the transmission of Bat coronavirus HKU8 from a bat to a civet, as well as cross-species jumps of coronaviruses from bats to hedgehogs and from birds to porcupines. We similarly identified avian Influenza A virus H9N2 in civets and Asian badgers, with the latter displaying respiratory symptoms, as well as cases of likely human-to-wildlife virus transmission. These data highlight the importance of game animals as potential drivers of disease emergence.
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Serum from COVID-19 patients early in the pandemic shows limited evidence of cross-neutralization against variants of concern -
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+Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) results in a variety of clinical symptoms ranging from no or mild to severe disease. Currently, there are multiple postulated mechanisms that may push a moderate to severe disease into a critical state. Human serum contains abundant evidence of the immune status following infection. Cytokines, chemokines, and antibodies can be assayed to determine the extent to which a patient responded to a pathogen. We examined serum and plasma from a cohort of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 early in the pandemic and compared them to negative-control sera. Cytokine and chemokine concentrations varied depending on the severity of infection, and antibody responses were significantly increased in severe cases compared to mild to moderate infections. Neutralization data revealed that patients with high titers against an early 2020 isolate had detectable but limited neutralizing antibodies against newly circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. This study highlights the potential of re-infection for recovered COVID-19 patients.
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Immunogenicity and adverse events of priming with inactivated whole SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (CoronaVac) followed by boosting the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine -
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+Background: Responding to SARS-CoV-2 Delta variants escaped the vaccine-induced immunity and waning immunity from the inactivated whole virus vaccine, Thailand recently proposed a heterologous inactivated whole virus vaccine (CoronaVac) viral vector vaccine (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) prime-boost vaccine regimen(I/V). This study aims to evaluate the immunogenicity and adverse events of this regimen by comparison with homologous CoronaVac, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, and convalescent serum. Method: Immunogenicity was evaluated by the level of IgG antibodies against the receptor-binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S1 subunit) (anti-S RBD). At 2 weeks following the second dosage, a selection of random samples was tested for plaque reduction neutralisation (PRNT) and Pseudotype-Based Microneutralization test (PVNT) against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs). The safety profile of heterologous CoronaVac-ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 prime-boost vaccine regimen was described by interviewing at the 1-month visit. Result: Between April to August 2021,426 participants were included in the study, with 155 obtaining CoronaVac-ChAdOx1 nCoV-19(I/V),32 obtaining homologous CoronaVac(I/I),47 obtaining homologous ChAdOx1 nCoV-19(V/V),169 with history covid-19 infection. Geometric mean titers (GMTs) of anti-S RBD level in the I/V group compare 2wks and 4 wks ( 873.9 vs 639,p=0.00114).At 4 wks, GMTs of anti-S RBD level in I/V group was 639, 95% CI 63-726,and natural infection group 177.3, 95% CI 42-221, and V/V group 211.1, 95% CI 77-152 ,and I/I group 108.2 ,95% CI 77-152 ; all p<0.001).At 2 wks, The GMTs of 50%PRNT of 19 sampling from the I/V group is 434.5, 95% CI 326-579, against wild type and 80.4, 95% CI 56-115, against alpha and 67.4, 95% CI 48-95, against delta and 19.8, 95% CI 14-30, against beta; all p<0.001. At 2 wks, The GMTs of 50%PVNT of 15 sampling from the I/V group is 597.8, 95% CI 368-970, against wild type and 163.9, 95% CI 89-301, against alpha and 157.7, 95% CI 66-378, against delta. The AEs in the I/V schedule were well tolerated and generally unremarkable. Conclusion: The I/V vaccination is a mixed regimen that induced higher immunogenicity and shall be considered for responding to Delta Variants when only inactivated whole virus vaccine and viral vector vaccine was available.
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Reports of myocarditis and pericarditis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccines: A systematic review of spontaneously reported data from the UK, Europe, and the US and of the literature -
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+Objectives: To bring together spontaneously reported data from around the world to estimate the reporting rate in different countries and better understand the risk factors for myocarditis and pericarditis following exposure to COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Design: Systematic review of the literature and systematic review of spontaneously reported data from the United Kingdom (UK), United States (US), and European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA). Data sources: Spontaneously reported data for COVID-19 Vaccine Pfizer/BioNTech (Comirnaty) and COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna (Spikevax) were obtained using outputs from the UK′s Yellow Card scheme (covering the period 09/12/2020 – 20/10/2021), the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS; US; covering the period 23/08/2021 – 21/10/2021), and EudraVigilance (EU/EEA; covering the period 21/12/2020 – 21/10/2021). Systematic searches of PubMed and Embase literature databases were performed with a datalock point of 11 October 2021. Eligibility criteria: All publicly available spontaneous reporting data from the three regions of interest were included. Data on events labelled “Myocarditis” and “Pericarditis” were included. No restrictions on age or gender were applied. For the systematic literature review, all pharmacoepidemiological studies of observational design investigating myocarditis and pericarditis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccines identified by our search were included. No restrictions on language or date were applied. Pre-print manuscripts were included if no peer-reviewed version was available. Studies of non-observational design, case reports, and case series were excluded. Study quality was assessed using relevant Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tools. All studies were considered of sufficient quality for inclusion. Data extraction and synthesis: One researcher extracted data from spontaneous reporting systems and published pharmacoepidemiological studies. Spontaneously reported events of myocarditis and pericarditis were presented for each individual data source, and stratified by vaccine, age, sex, and dose where this information was available. Vaccination data were obtained to the same date, and reporting rates were calculated for the events of myocarditis and pericarditis for each population of interest. For published pharmacoepidemiological studies, the study design, participant characteristics, and study results were tabulated. Results: Overall, there were 435 reports of myocarditis and 327 reports of pericarditis reported to the UK9s Yellow Card scheme up to 20 October 2021. To 21 October 2021, in the US, 1936 reports of myocarditis and 1271 reports of pericarditis had been submitted to VAERS; there had been 2924 reports of myocarditis and 1855 reports of pericarditis submitted to EudraVigilance to the same date. Most reports (73.3%) had been submitted following Comirnaty (Pfizer/BioNTech). Males represented 74.9% of reports of myocarditis and 56.9% of pericarditis overall (for US and EU/EEA populations only), and the majority of reports concerned vaccinees ages under 40 years. Reports were more frequent following the second dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Reporting rates of myocarditis and pericarditis were consistent between the data sources. Seven pharmacoepidemiological studies were included; results of these studies were largely consistent with results of our spontaneous report analyses. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that younger vaccinees more frequently report myocarditis and pericarditis following mRNA COVID-19 vaccines compared with older vaccinees. These events had mild clinical course followed by full recovery in most cases. Results from published literature supported the results of our analyses.
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“Resistance and Care in the time of COVID-19: Archaeology in 2020” -
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+The COVID-19 pandemic offered humanity a portal via which we could break with the past and imagine our world anew. This article reviews how over the course of 2020, a series of intersecting crises at the nexus of racism, settler colonialism, climate change and sexual harassment have prompted acts of resistance and care in the field of archaeology. Throughout the article, we provide concrete suggestions as to how we can continue the work of movements begun over the course of the past year to improve dynamics within our field and use the lessons from our field to improve life for all people in the world and for our planet.
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The snoGloBe interaction predictor reveals a broad spectrum of C/D snoRNA RNA targets -
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+Box C/D small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are a conserved class of RNA known for their role in guiding ribosomal RNA 2’-O-ribose methylation through base pairing with targeted sequences. Recently, C/D snoRNAs were also implicated in regulating the expression of non-ribosomal genes through different modes of binding. Large scale RNA-RNA interaction datasets detect many snoRNAs binding messenger RNA. However, these studies provide a narrow portrait of snoRNA targets forming under specific experimental conditions. To enable a more comprehensive study of C/D snoRNA interactions, we created snoGloBe, a human C/D snoRNA machine learning interaction predictor based on a gradient boosting classifier. SnoGloBe considers the target type, and position and sequence of the interactions, enabling it to outperform existing predictors. Interestingly, for specific snoRNAs, snoGloBe identifies strong enrichment of interactions near gene expression regulatory elements including splice sites. Abundance and splicing of predicted targets were altered upon the knockdown of their associated snoRNA. Strikingly, the predicted snoRNA interactions often overlap with the binding sites of functionally related RNA binding proteins, reinforcing their role in gene expression regulation. The interactions of snoRNAs are not randomly distributed but often accumulate in functionally related transcripts sharing common regulatory elements suggesting coordinated regulatory function. The wide scope of snoGloBe makes it an excellent tool for discovering viral RNA targets, which is evident from its capacity to identify snoRNAs targeting SARS-CoV-2 RNA, known to be heavily methylated. Overall, snoGloBe is capable of identifying experimentally validated binding sites and predicting novel sites with shared regulatory function.
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ImputeCoVNet: 2D ResNet Autoencoder for Imputation of SARS-CoV-2 Sequences -
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+We describe a new deep learning approach for the imputation of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Our model, ImputeCoVNet, consists of a 2D ResNet Autoencoder that aims at imputing missing genetic variants in SARS-CoV-2 sequences in an efficient manner. We show that ImputeCoVNet leads to accurate results at minor allele frequencies as low as 0.0001. When compared with an approach based on Hamming distance, ImputeCoVNet achieved comparable results with significantly less computation time. We also present the provision of geographical metadata (e.g., exposed country) to decoder increases the imputation accuracy. Additionally, by visualizing the embedding results of SARS-CoV-2 variants, we show that the trained encoder of ImputeCoVNet, or the embedded results from it, recapitulates viral clade’s information, which means it could be used for predictive tasks using virus sequence analysis.
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Fine-tuning the Spike: Role of the nature and topology of the glycan shield in the structure and dynamics of SARS- CoV-2 S -
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+The dense glycan shield is an essential feature of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) architecture, key to immune evasion and to the activation of the prefusion conformation. Recent studies indicate that the occupancy and structures of the SARS- CoV-2 S glycans depend not only on the nature of the host cell, but also on the structural stability of the trimer; a point that raises important questions about the relative competence of different glycoforms. Moreover, the functional role of the glycan shield in the SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis suggests that the evolution of the sites of glycosylation is potentially intertwined with the evolution of the protein sequence to affect optimal activity. Our results from multi- microsecond molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the type of glycosylation at N234, N165 and N343 greatly affects the stability of the receptor binding domain (RBD) open conformation, and thus its exposure and accessibility. Furthermore, our results suggest that the loss of glycosylation at N370, a newly acquired modification in the SARS-CoV-2 S glycan shields topology, may have contributed to increase the SARS-CoV-2 infectivity as we find that N-glycosylation at N370 stabilizes the closed RBD conformation by binding a specific cleft on the RBD surface. We discuss how the absence of the N370 glycan in the SARS-CoV-2 S frees the RBD glycan binding cleft, which becomes available to bind cell- surface glycans, potentially increases host cell surface localization.
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Clofoctol inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication and reduces lung pathology in mice -
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+Drug repurposing has the advantage of shortening regulatory preclinical development steps. Here, we screened a library of drug compounds, already registered in one or several geographical areas, to identify those exhibiting antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 with relevant potency. Of the 1,942 compounds tested, 21 exhibited a substantial antiviral activity in Vero-81 cells. Among them, clofoctol, an antibacterial drug used for the treatment of bacterial respiratory tract infections, was further investigated due to favorable safety profile and pharmacokinetic properties. Notably, the peak concentration of clofoctol that can be achieved in human lungs is more than 20 times higher than its IC50 measured against SARS-CoV-2 in human pulmonary cells. This compound inhibits SARS-CoV-2 at a post-entry step. Lastly, therapeutic treatment of human ACE2 receptor transgenic mice decreased viral load, reduced inflammatory gene expression and lowered pulmonary pathology. Altogether, these data strongly support clofoctol as a therapeutic candidate for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
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Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate and severity of COVID-19 in people with HIV infection -
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+Background Effective, safe, and affordable antivirals are needed for COVID-19. Tenofovir has not been studied in randomized trials despite evidence consistent with its effectiveness against COVID-19. Methods We studied HIV-positive individuals on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 2020 at 69 HIV clinics in Spain. We collected data on sociodemographics, ART, CD4-cell count, HIV-RNA viral load, comorbidities and the following outcomes: laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, COVID-19 hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and death. We compared the 48-week risks for individuals receiving tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)/emtricitabine (FTC), tenofovir alafenamide (TAF)/ FTC, abacavir (ABC)/lamivudine (3TC), and other regimes. All estimates were adjusted for clinical and sociodemographic characteristics via inverse probability weighting. Results Of 51,558 eligible individuals, 39.6% were on TAF/FTC, 11.9% on TDF/FTC, 26.6% on ABC/3TC, 21.8% on other regimes. There were 2,402 documented SARS-CoV-2 infections (425 hospitalizations, 45 ICU admissions, 37 deaths). Compared with TAF/FTC, the estimated risk ratios (RR) (95% CI) of hospitalization were 0.66 (0.43, 0.91) for TDF/FTC and 1.29 (1.02, 1.58) for ABC/3TC, the RRs of ICU admission were 0.28 (0.11, 0.90) for TDF/FTC and 1.39 (0.70, 2.80) for ABC/3TC, and the RRs of death were 0.37 (0.23, 1.90) for TDF/FTC and 2.02 (0.88-6.12) for ABC/3TC. The corresponding RRs of hospitalization for TDF/FTC were 0.49 (0.24, 0.81) in individuals ≥50 years and 1.15 (0.59, 1.93) in younger individuals. Conclusion Our findings suggest that, compared with other antiretrovirals, TDF/FTC lowers COVID-19 severity among HIV-positive individuals with virological control. This protective effect may be restricted to individuals aged 50 years and older.
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ANALYSIS OF IMMUNE ESCAPE VARIANTS FROM ANTIBODY-BASED THERAPEUTICS AGAINST COVID-19. -
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+Accelerated SARS-CoV-2 evolution under selective pressure by massive deployment of neutralizing antibody-based therapeutics is a concern with potentially severe implications for public health. We review here reports of documented immune escape after treatment with monoclonal antibodies and COVID19 convalescent plasma (CCP). While the former is mainly associated with specific single amino acid mutations at residues within the receptor-binding domain (e.g., E484K/Q, Q493R, and S494P), the few cases of immune evasion after CCP were associated with recurrent deletions within the N-terminal domain of Spike protein (e.g, delHV69-70, delLGVY141-144 and delAL243-244). Continuous genomic monitoring of non-responders is needed to better understand immune escape frequencies and fitness of emerging variants.
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SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 encoded protein contains a histone mimic, disrupts chromatin regulation, and enhances replication -
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+SARS-CoV-2 emerged in China at the end of 2019 and caused the global pandemic of COVID-19, a disease with high morbidity and mortality. While our understanding of this new virus is rapidly increasing, gaps remain in our understanding of how SARS-CoV-2 can effectively suppress host cell antiviral responses. Recent work on other viruses has demonstrated a novel mechanism through which viral proteins can mimic critical regions of human histone proteins. Histone proteins are responsible for governing genome accessibility and their precise regulation is critical for the ability of a cell to control transcription and respond to viral threats. Here, we show that the protein encoded by ORF8 (Orf8) in SARS-CoV-2 functions as a histone mimic of the ARKS motif in histone 3. Orf8 is associated with chromatin, binds to numerous histone-associated proteins, and is itself acetylated within the histone mimic site. Orf8 expression in cells disrupts multiple critical histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) including H3K9ac, H3K9me3, and H3K27me3 and promotes chromatin compaction while Orf8 lacking the histone mimic motif does not. Further, SARS-CoV-2 infection in human cell lines and postmortem patient lung tissue cause these same disruptions to chromatin. However, deletion of the Orf8 gene from SARS-CoV-2 largely blocks its ability to disrupt host-cell chromatin indicating that Orf8 is responsible for these effects. Finally, deletion of the ORF8 gene affects the host-cell transcriptional response to SARS-CoV-2 infection in multiple cell types and decreases the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived lung alveolar type 2 (iAT2) pulmonary cells. These findings demonstrate a novel function for the poorly understood ORF8-encoded protein and a mechanism through which SARS-CoV-2 disrupts host cell epigenetic regulation. Finally, this work provides a molecular basis for the finding that SARS-CoV-2 lacking ORF8 is associated with decreased severity of COVID-19.
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BREATHE: Virtual Self-management for Long COVID-19 - Condition: COVID-19 Intervention: Other: BREATHE Sponsor:
+University of Calgary Not yet recruiting
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Adding Colchicine to Tocilizumab in Patients With Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia. - Condition: COVID-19 Pneumonia Intervention: Drug: Colchicine Sponsor:
+Hamad Medical Corporation Recruiting
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the Safety and Efficacy of Meplazumab in Patients With COVID-19 - Condition: Covid19 Interventions: Drug: Meplazumab for Injection; Drug: Sterile normal saline (0.9%) Sponsor: Jiangsu Pacific Meinuoke Bio Pharmaceutical Co Ltd Not yet recruiting
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Health Information Technology for COVID-19 Testing in Schools (SCALE-UP Counts) - Condition: COVID-19 Interventions: Behavioral: Text Messaging (TM); Behavioral: Text Messaging + Health Navigation (TM+HN) Sponsors: University of Utah; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Not yet recruiting
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Hypertonic Saline Nasal Irrigation and Gargling (HSNIG) for Suspected COVID-19 in Pakistan - Condition: COVID-19 Intervention: Other: Hypertonic Saline Nasal Irrigation and Gargles (HSNIG) Sponsors: The Allergy and Asthma Institute, Pakistan; University of Edinburgh Recruiting
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Immunogenicity And Safety of COVID-19 Vaccine , Inactivated Co -Administration With EV71 Vaccine (Vero Cell) - Condition: COVID-19 Intervention: Biological: Experimental Group Sponsor:
+Sinovac Biotech Co., Ltd Not yet recruiting
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A Study to Evaluate Safety & Immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 DNA Vaccine Delivered Intramuscularly Followed by Electroporation for COVID-19 - Condition: Covid19 Interventions: Biological: SARS-CoV-2 DNA Vaccine; Biological: Matching placebo Sponsors: The University of Hong Kong; Immuno Cure 3 Limited Not yet recruiting
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Homeopathic Treatment of Post-acute COVID-19 Syndrome - Condition: Post-acute Covid-19 Syndrome Interventions: Drug: Homeopathic Medication; Other: Placebo Sponsors: Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine; Samueli Institute for Information Biology Recruiting
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Intranasal INNA-051 for Prevention of COVID-19 in Adults - Condition: COVID-19 Pandemic Interventions: Drug: INNA-051; Other: Placebo Sponsor: ENA Respiratory Pty Ltd Not yet recruiting
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Effectiveness of Interactive Voice Response for COVID-19 Vaccination Training in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - Conditions: COVID-19 Vaccine Knowledge; COVID-19 Vaccine Beliefs Interventions:
+Behavioral: COVID-19 Vaccine IVR Training; Behavioral: Control Condition Sponsors: Stanford University; Viamo Not yet recruiting
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A Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy of RUTI® to Reduce the Severity of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (COVID-19) - Condition: COVID-19 Interventions: Biological: RUTI® vaccine; Biological: Placebo Sponsors: RUTI Immunotherapeutics S.L.; Archivel Farma S.L. Not yet recruiting
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Study to Evaluate the Safety and Immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (IN-B009) in Healthy Adults (COVID-19) - Condition: COVID-19 Interventions: Biological: IN-B009 (Low-dose); Biological: IN-B009 (High- dose) Sponsor: HK inno.N Corporation Recruiting
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Lot-to-lot Consistency of an Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Between Different Workshops in Healthy Children Aged 3-17 Years - Condition: COVID-19 Interventions: Biological: Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero cell) Lot 1 of the workshop 2; Biological: Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero cell) Lot 2 of the workshop 2; Biological: Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero cell) Lot 3 of the workshop 2; Biological: Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero cell) Lot 1 of the workshop 3; Biological: Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero cell) Lot 2 of the workshop 3; Biological: Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero cell) Lot 3 of the workshop 3; Biological: Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero cell) Lot 1 of the workshop 1 Sponsor: Sinovac Biotech Co., Ltd Recruiting
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The Potential Use of Nebulized Hydroxychloroquine for the Treatment of COVID-19 - Condition: 2019 Novel Coronavirus Interventions: Drug: HCQ01; Other: standard of care (SOC) for COVID-19 Sponsors: Ministry of Health Jordan; King Hussein Cancer Center; ACDIMA Biocenter; Amman Pharmaceutical Industries; Sana Pharmaceutical Industry Not yet recruiting
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The Effect Of Music On Compliance Of Patients İn COVİD-19 Intensive Care Unit With CPAP Device - Conditions: COVID-19; COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Intervention: Device: Listening to music with a bluetooth headset to patients receiving CPAP support Sponsors: SÜMEYYE BİLGİLİ; Ataturk University Recruiting
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From PubMed
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Severe acquired hypertriglyceridemia following COVID-19 - Severe hypertriglyceridemia is a major risk factor for acute pancreatitis. In exceptional cases, it is caused by plasma components inhibiting lipoprotein lipase activity. This phenomenon is predominantly associated with autoimmune diseases. Here, we report a case of severe hypertriglyceridemia due to a transient reduction in lipoprotein lipase activity following an episode of COVID-19 in an otherwise healthy 45-year-old woman. The lipoprotein lipase activity of the patient was markedly reduced…
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The PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway: a potential pharmacological target in COVID-19 - Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a serious threat to global health. The disregulation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) cell signaling pathway observed in patients with COVID-19 has attracted attention for the possible use of specific inhibitors of this pathway for the treatment of the disease. Here, we review emerging data on the involvement of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in severe acute respiratory syndrome…
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Structural screening into the recognition of a potent inhibitor against non-structural protein 16: a molecular simulation to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection - COVID-19 infection is caused by endemic crown infection (SARS-CoV-2) and is associated with lung damage and severe immune response. Non-Structural Proteins are the central components of coronaviral transcription and replication machinery in SARS-CoV-2 and also stimulate mRNA cap methylation to avoid the immune response. Non-Structural Protein 16 (NSP16) is one of the primary targets for the drug discovery of coronaviruses. Discovering an effective inhibitor against the NSP16 in comparison with…
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A Multifunctional Neutralizing Antibody-Conjugated Nanoparticle Inhibits and Inactivates SARS-CoV-2 - The outbreak of 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS- CoV-2), has resulted in a global pandemic. Despite intensive research, the current treatment options show limited curative efficacies. Here the authors report a strategy incorporating neutralizing antibodies conjugated to the surface of a photothermal nanoparticle (NP) to capture and inactivate SARS-CoV-2. The NP is comprised of a semiconducting polymer core and a biocompatible…
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Allosteric inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease by colloidal bismuth subcitrate - The SARS-CoV-2 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro or Mpro) is a key cysteine protease for viral replication and transcription, making it an attractive target for antiviral therapies to combat the COVID-19 disease. Here, we demonstrate that bismuth drug colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS) is a potent inhibitor for 3CLpro in vitro and in cellulo. Rather than targeting the cysteine residue at the catalytic site, CBS binds to an allosteric site and results in dissociation of the 3CLpro dimer and…
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Discovery of SARS-CoV-2 M(pro) peptide inhibitors from modelling substrate and ligand binding - The main protease (M^(pro)) of SARS-CoV-2 is central to viral maturation and is a promising drug target, but little is known about structural aspects of how it binds to its 11 natural cleavage sites. We used biophysical and crystallographic data and an array of biomolecular simulation techniques, including automated docking, molecular dynamics (MD) and interactive MD in virtual reality, QM/MM, and linear-scaling DFT, to investigate the molecular features underlying recognition of the natural…
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Different Approaches to Confronting the Biological Epidemic; Prevention Tools with an Emphasis on COVID-19: A Systematized Study - CONCLUSION: One possible approach to control the disease is to change individual behavior and lifestyle. In addition to prevention strategies, use of masks, observance of personal hygiene principles such as regular hand washing and non- contact of contaminated hands with the face, as well as observance of public health principles such as sneezing and coughing etiquettes, safe extermination of personal protective equipment must be strictly observed. The use of the previous experiences in the…
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Antiviral and Immunomodulatory Effects of Pelargonium sidoides DC. Root Extract EPs 7630 in SARS-CoV-2-Infected Human Lung Cells - Treatment options for COVID-19 are currently limited. Drugs reducing both viral loads and SARS-CoV-2-induced inflammatory responses would be ideal candidates for COVID-19 therapeutics. Previous in vitro and clinical studies suggest that the proprietary Pelargonium sidoides DC. root extract EPs 7630 has antiviral and immunomodulatory properties, limiting symptom severity and disease duration of infections with several upper respiratory viruses. Here we assessed if EPs 7630 affects SARS-CoV-2…
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Enteric Coronavirus Infection and Treatment Modeled With an Immunocompetent Human Intestine-On-A-Chip - Many patients infected with coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV-2 and NL63 that use ACE2 receptors to infect cells, exhibit gastrointestinal symptoms and viral proteins are found in the human gastrointestinal tract, yet little is known about the inflammatory and pathological effects of coronavirus infection on the human intestine. Here, we used a human intestine-on-a-chip (Intestine Chip) microfluidic culture device lined by patient organoid-derived intestinal epithelium interfaced with human…
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High Induction of IL-6 Secretion From hUCMSCs Optimize the Potential of hUCMSCs and TCZ as Therapy for COVID-19-Related ARDS - Biological and cellular interleukin-6 (IL-6)-related therapies have been used to treat severe COVID-19 pneumonia with hyperinflammatory syndrome and acute respiratory failure, which prompted further exploration of the role of IL-6 in human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (hUCMSC) therapy. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were responders cocultured with hUCMSCs or exogenous IL-6. A PBMC suppression assay was used to analyze the anti-inflammatory effects via MTT assay. The IL-6…
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Network Meta-analysis on the Changes of Amyloid Precursor Protein Expression Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection - SARS-CoV-2 infection begins with the attachment of its spike (S) protein to angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) followed by complex host immune responses with cardiovascular and neurological implications. Our meta-analyses used QIAGEN Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) and Knowledge Base (QKB) to investigate how the expression of amyloid precursor protein (APP) was modulated by attachment of SARS-CoV-2 S protein in the brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVECs) and during COVID-19 in…
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A novel definition and treatment of hyperinflammation in COVID-19 based on purinergic signalling - Hyperinflammation plays an important role in severe and critical COVID-19. Using inconsistent criteria, many researchers define hyperinflammation as a form of very severe inflammation with cytokine storm. Therefore, COVID-19 patients are treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs appear to be less efficacious than expected and are sometimes accompanied by serious adverse effects. SARS-CoV-2 promotes cellular ATP release. Increased levels of extracellular ATP activate the purinergic…
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Natural biflavones are potent inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease - Papain-like protease (PL^(pro)) is a key enzyme encoded by SARS-CoV-2 that is essential for viral replication and immune evasion. Significant suppression of viral spread and promotion of antiviral immunity can be achieved by inhibition of PL^(pro), revealing an inspiring strategy for COVID-19 treatment. This study aimed to discover PL^(pro) inhibitors by investigating the national compound library of traditional Chinese medicines (NCLTCMs), a phytochemical library comprising over 9000…
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A natural product compound inhibits coronaviral replication in vitro by binding to the conserved Nsp9 SARS-CoV-2 protein - The Nsp9 replicase is a conserved coronaviral protein that acts as an essential accessory component of the multi-subunit viral replication/transcription complex. Nsp9 is the predominant substrate for the essential nucleotidylation activity of Nsp12. Compounds specifically interfering with this viral activity would facilitate its study. Using a native mass spectrometry-based approach to screen a natural product library for Nsp9 binders, we identified an ent-kaurane natural product, oridonin,…
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Medicines for Malaria Venture COVID Box: a source for repurposing drugs with antifungal activity against human pathogenic fungi - BACKGROUND: Treatment of mycoses is often ineffective, usually prolonged, and has some side effects. These facts highlight the importance of discovering new molecules to treat fungal infections.
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From Patent Search
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Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and uses thereof I - - link
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Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and uses thereof II - - link
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휴대용 자화 육각수물 발생기 - 본인의 발명은, 사람의 신체에서 육각수물 생성에는 한계가 있으며, 동맥혈관, 정맥혈관 내부 혈액은 수분이 약 90% 이며, 건강한 성인이면, 육각수 물은 약 62% 이며, COVID-19 환자, 사고의 부상, 17만개의 질병, 질환으로 조직세포가 손상되면 자기 신체수복을 위해서 육각수 물을 평소보다 많이 흡수 하면서 동반 산소부족 상태가 되며, 육각수물 보충 없이 산소 호흡기를 사용하면 심각한 후유증이 발병 할 수 있다.
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육각수물 부족 상태를 해결하기 위해서, 객관적인 과학적으로 네오디뮴(원자번호 = 60) 3.000 가우스의 자기장을 이용하여서 육각수 물을 62% ~ 80% 이상, 상시 유지 시켜주는 제조 방법이며, 휴대용으로 항시 착용 가능하다. 결론은 COVID-19, 질병, 질환의 근본적인 원인은, 육각수물 부족 상태가 되면 동반 산소 부족 상태가 되면서, 염증 -> 통증 -> 극심한 통증 -> 석회화, 섬유화, 암 까지 발병 한다. - link
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휴대용 자화 육각수물 발생기 - 본인의 발명은, 사람의 신체에서 육각수 생성에는 한계가 있으며, 동맥혈관, 정맥혈관 내부 혈액은 수분이 90% 이며, 육각수물은 약 62% 이며, COVID-19, 사고 부상, 질병, 질환으로 조직세포가 손상되면 자기 신체수복을 위해서 육각수물을 평소보다 많이 흡수하면서 산소부족 상태가 되며, 육각수 보충 없이 산소호흡기를 사용하면 심각한 후유증이 발병 할 수 있다 육각수물 부족 상태를 해결하기 위해서, 객관적인 과학적으로 네오디뮴(원자번호 = 60) 3.000 가우스의 자기장을 이용하여서 육각수물을 62% ~ 80% 상시 유지 시켜주는 제조 방법이며, 휴대용으로 항시 착용 가능하다. 결론은 COVID-19, 질병, 질환의 근본적인 원인은, 육각수물 부족 상태가 되면 동반 산소 부족 상태가 되면서, 염증 -> 통증 -> 극심한 통증 -> 석회화, 섬유화, 암 까지 발병 한다. - link
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用于检测新冠病毒的配对抗体及其应用 - 本发明涉及一种用于检测新冠病毒的配对抗体及其应用，其包括第一检测抗体和第二检测抗体；第一检测抗体具有如SEQ ID NO:1~3所示的轻链互补决定区，以及如SEQ ID NO:4~6所示的重链互补决定区，第二检测抗体具有如SEQ ID NO:7~9所示的轻链互补决定区，以及如SEQ ID NO:10~12所示的重链互补决定区。本发明筛选得到具有上述互补决定区序列的配对抗体，其识别N蛋白的不同表位，且由于两种抗体识别的是N蛋白非核酸结合区域，不会受核酸负电荷干扰，对核酸抗原表现出了兼容性，具有较好的稳定性，同时上述配对抗体具有较高的亲和力，病毒N蛋白检测灵敏度高。 - link
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抗KL-6双特异性抗体及基因、重组载体、药物、试剂盒 - 本发明公开了抗KL‑6双特异性抗体或其变体、或其功能性片段，所述抗KL‑6双特异性抗体或其变体、或其功能性片段包括抗PTS域和抗SEA域，所述抗PTS域的重链可变区的CDR1、CDR2和CDR3分别具有SEQ ID NO.1~3所示的氨基酸序列。本发明还提供了基因、重组载体、药物、试剂盒。本发明的抗KL‑6双特异性抗体或其变体、或其功能性片段用于与KL‑6蛋白特异性结合，基因、重组载体用于抗KL‑6双特异性抗体的制备，药物用于治疗KL‑6蛋白引起的相关疾病，试剂盒用于KL‑6蛋白的定量检测。 - link
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基于决策树模型与逻辑回归模型组合的感染筛查方法 - 本发明公开了一种基于决策树模型与逻辑回归模型组合的感染筛查方法，其检测操作方便，可提高感染筛查准确性，该方法基于生命体征监护仪实现，生命体征监护仪与远程数据服务平台通信连接，远程数据服务平台依据临床数据进行感染筛查，该方法包括：通过生命体征监护仪检测获取用户临床数据，将临床数据随机划分为训练集、测试集，将训练集均分为两份：训练集A、训练集B，基于训练集A构建决策树模型，同时，对训练集A进行特征选择，将关键特征向量作为已构建的决策树模型的输入，获取新构造特征向量，基于组合特征向量，构造逻辑回归模型，基于决策树模型和逻辑回归模型组合，对测试集进行预测分类，获取分类结果。 - link
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病毒中和抗体与非中和抗体联合检测方法、检测卡及应用 - 一种病毒中和抗体与非中和抗体联合检测方法、检测卡及其应用，通过病毒受体结合蛋白夹心法原理检测中和抗体，其为通过提前设置病毒受体结合蛋白和能阻断中和抗体与其结合的作为配体的蛋白所形成的复合物，将靶向受体蛋白的非中和抗体提前捕获，保证后续通过夹心法检测中和抗体的特异性。解决了现有技术中中和抗体检测灵敏度低、特异性差以及不能区分中和抗体与非中和抗体的问题，提供了一种简便、快速、灵敏度高、特异性高的病毒中和抗体与非中和抗体联合检测方法、检测卡及其应用。 - link
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扩增△500-532的SARS-CoV-2 Nsp1基因的引物对及其检测方法 - 本发明公开了一种扩增Δ500‑532的SARS‑CoV‑2 Nsp1基因的引物对及其检测方法。引物对的具体序列如SEQ ID NO.1和SEQ ID NO.2所示，其检测方法为：采用引物对对SARS‑CoV‑2 Nsp1基因进行PCR，对PCR产物进行变性退火后，加入T7EI内切酶孵育，再进行PCR扩增，并判断是否存在Δ500‑532的SARS‑CoV‑2 Nsp1基因。本发明可简便快捷的区分出SARS‑CoV‑2 Nsp1基因突变型和野生型。 - link
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多肽及其在新型冠状病毒检测中的应用 - 本发明涉及生物医学领域，具体而言，涉及一种多肽及其在新型冠状病毒检测中的应用。所述多肽包括如下部分：S——Linker——N——avi‑tag。通过经过优化的刚性linker序列把S蛋白和N蛋白串联起来，使得这两个蛋白即具备相对独立的空间构象，又增加了许多优势表位，很大程度上提高了灵敏度和信号值；此外，融合蛋白引入Avi‑tag，使得重组蛋白可以通过固定的位点被固相化，降低包被过程所带来的空间位阻的影响。由此，该多肽能够达到很高的灵敏度和特异性，并且不易发生漏检。 - link
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Does Xi Jinping’s Seizure of History Threaten His Future? - The struggles of the first century of Communist Party rule are being buried by the need to cohere around what Xi calls “the great rejuvenation” of China. - link
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Inside the Democrats’ Battle to Build Back Better - House progressives delayed the infrastructure bill to protect Biden’s multitrillion-dollar agenda. Did it work? - link
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The Trial of Kyle Rittenhouse Begins with Gruesome Videos and a Plea for Fact-Finding - The rifle-wielding teen-ager killed two men and grievously wounded a third during racial-justice protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin. - link
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The January 6th Investigation Gets Closer to Donald Trump - Judges, national-security officials, and Liz Cheney say that the effort must proceed. - link
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How Trump Transformed the Supreme Court - The legal journalist Linda Greenhouse expects the new conservative majority to change American law on abortion, religion, and affirmative action. - link
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From Vox
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Why movies tilt the camera like this -
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+The expressionist origins of the “Dutch angle.”
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+The Dutch angle (aka Dutch tilt, canted angle, or oblique angle) is a filmmaking technique that involves setting the camera at an angle and tilting the entire scene. You see it everywhere, from blockbuster movies to soap commercials. It’s used to emphasize when something is a little off, or just to make a shot look more interesting.
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+The thing is… it’s not actually Dutch. And it didn’t start with filmmakers. It was pioneered by German directors during World War I, when outside films were blocked from being shown in Germany. While Hollywood was serving up largely glamorous, rollicking films, the German film industry joined the expressionist movement in art and literature, which was focused on processing the chaos of world war. Its themes touched on betrayal, suicide, psychosis, and terror. And expressionist films conveyed that darkness not just through their plotlines, but through their set designs, costumes — and unusual camera shots.
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Soul food and the stories it tells about America -
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+Four-year-old Hugh Howard digs into some Thanksgiving soul food with his dad, Aber Howard, at the fifth annual Soul Food Dinner at Elliot Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1999. | Joey McLeister/Star Tribune via Getty Images
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+Poet and author Caroline Randall Williams joined Vox Conversations ahead of Thanksgivingto discuss what we’re getting right — and wrong — about Black culinary traditions.
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+What can we learn about our history, and ourselves, just by taking a bite?
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+You often hear me say on the Vox Conversations podcast or read in my writing how I believe identity is in everything. Nowhere is this more evident than with food. We associate our favorite cuisines with the people who originally cooked them. Ethnicities and nationalities are a part of our daily vocabularies because of what we eat.
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+Because food and identity are intertwined — in this nation and every other nation — things inevitably get complicated. It’s about to be Thanksgiving, one of the most widely celebrated American holidays, and one whose commonly told origin story is a Eurocentric fairy tale. It’s uncomfortable to think about war and genocide as you bite into your grandmother’s sweet potato pie, or as you savor that salty, smoky skin falling off your turkey drumstick. Just as the legacy of enslavement lives on in our bodies, our laws, and our cultural practices, it also goes directly into our bellies. Many of the items we see on our Thanksgiving tables, much of which I recognize as “soul food,” can teach us a lot about America — and about ourselves as Americans.
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+Thinking about all this encouraged me to reach out to poet, scholar, and author Caroline Randall Williams. Six years ago, Caroline authored a cookbook, Soul Food Love, with her mother Alice Randall, herself a celebrated author and the first black woman to co-author a No. 1 country hit. You might have also read Caroline’s op-ed for the New York Times in the summer of 2020. In it, she addressed the continued existence of monuments honoring Confederate soldiers with the viral opening line, “I have rape-colored skin.”
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+In this episode, we discuss not only some of the very good recipes in that book, but also how Southern “comfort food” has become everyday cuisine — sometimes to our detriment. How do we interpret African American culinary traditions in modern times, and what are we getting wrong?
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+Below is an edited excerpt from our conversation. Of course, you’ll find much more in the full podcast, so subscribe to Vox Conversations on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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+Jamil Smith
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+How did you first come to identify or connect with food so intimately?
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+Caroline Williams
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+I’m torn about how to answer this question because I can’t figure out if I’m supposed to honor the ancestors or my living mother in the answer of it.
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+Jamil Smith
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+Honor the truth, that’s all.
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+Caroline Williams
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+I can say in broad strokes, I came to my relationship with food through the women in my family. The two things that came to mind were my Grandmother Joan’s kitchen, but then also the pictures of my mom feeding me as a baby, and the earliest memories of her doing all kinds of elaborate concoctions to try and make me happy when I was her baby girl.
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+So food as a way to communicate love has always been sort of central to that, I guess. And it’s always been part of our family stories. My first complete sentence was, “Mommy, artichoke please?” Which, I don’t know. That says so many things about me. My first sentence was about food, and it was about weird food, and it was polite, but it was also demanding.
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+Jamil Smith
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+I’d say that fits. You’ve requested an artichoke exactly one more time than I ever have.
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+How do you talk about food with your mother?
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+Caroline Williams
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+Well, that question is so layered these days, because we did write a whole book together. Co-writing a book is complicated under every circumstance, and writing one with your mother adds an extra layer of complication for sure, but also a layer of insight and love. So when Mom and I talk about food together, we’re really talking about family history. We’re talking about hard truths. We’re talking about shared memories. We’re talking about learning each other and our ancestors through the food, through the recipes, right?
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+And I think we’re talking about how we collaborate. Like, Mom and I, we don’t cook together that often. We cook for each other often, but not together often ’cause we cook so differently. Like, I’m a “clean up by myself while I cook” kinda girl, and Mom’s a mad scientist genius who gets all of the stuff done and then we sort of survey the landscape of the kitchen afterward. And then take a deep breath and clean. You know, you learn so much about each other.
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+So how do we talk about food? What the answer is is that food is in everything for us. It’s in our history. It’s in how we sit. It’s in how we gather. It’s in how we write, what we wanna write, our political concerns, our creative obsessions. Food tells stories, and food is about survival and Black joy, for me. And so is everything else I do.
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+ Michael Tullberg/Getty Images
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+Author Caroline Randall Williams attends the 47th NAACP Image Awards ceremony at the Pasadena Conference Center in California in 2016.
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+Jamil Smith
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+It seems also to be a method of communication. And in being writers, we are used to communicating in certain ways.
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+I think certainly, our ancestors and our elders communicated to us through food. I remember, you know, thinking about Thanksgiving, and thinking about my grandmother’s macaroni and cheese with the skin on top, so to speak.
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+And honestly, because I grew up pescatarian, her making that special effort to make a little side dish for me and my mother while cooking for everybody else. And that, to me, communicated care and love. That, to me, also is the soul food that I remember, the food that literally fueled my soul.
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+What is soul food to you? And how do we come to call it that?
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+Caroline Williams
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+So this is an evolving question for me. I think that traditionally what I have said is, to me, soul food is food that’s prepared with love, to show that love to the people that you welcome to your table. In broad strokes, that’s what soul food is to me, is food that serves the body and soul of the people you love.
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+And I think that I use that definition because of the charge and challenge of the cookbook that Mom and I wrote together was really to try and reclaim narratives of health and body preservation through food in the Black story. And so I wanted to get away from this notion that all of our food is unhealthy, or the scope of our food is limited to the celebration food that we have traditionally, in the bigger picture, called soul food.
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+And I preface that question with — I have traditionally said, because I think that as I get older and as I evolve, I fall in love like with being Black again every day. Like I’m in love with it. I’m in love with our stories. I’m in love with the gift of this, being colored in America, together with the challenge of it. I do think that there is value in making the traditional lists of what soul food is too: the collard greens, the candied yams, the fried chicken, the cornbread, the monkey bread. The Hoppin’ John, the hush puppies, the fish.
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+Jamil Smith
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+(laughs) Right.
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+Caroline Williams
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+You know, the spaghetti. (laughs)
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+Jamil Smith
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+Mm-hmm.
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+Caroline Williams
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+All that stuff, the macaroni and cheese, the list of true comfort things that got put out on your Nana’s table. That stuff, as some iteration of soul food, is valuable to name because it conjures so many shared memories for all of us, and that creates community.
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+But there’s a challenge there. You wanna name the things that are obviously familiar to the group, but also I do feel a responsibility and a desire to expand the definition. Because when I bake a fish, that’s soul food to me. Because I know that that was what my grandfather did. He’d catch red snapper in Alabama, and he’d bake them in tin foil, and that was his favorite thing, and that to me is soul food then. Right? It’s clean, simple food that is soul food, because it tells a Black American story that makes me feel loved and connected to my ancestors.
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+Jamil Smith
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+I see comfort food and soul food, I think, being equated quite a bit. And soul food being, like you said, presented in the mind as a certain set of images. You know, the fried chicken, and a lot of things, frankly, that are not healthy for us.
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+I don’t know if equating the two is always appropriate. Do you see a distinction at all? And if so, why do you think that might be significant?
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+Caroline Williams
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+Well, I think that what is comforting and what serves the purpose that soul food serves are not always the same thing. Right? Like I get comforted by a warm bowl of mashed potatoes, or a bunch of macaroni and cheese or greens or whatever, on a plate that I can just endlessly dive into. But then that’s also some version of soul food.
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+But then again, this question of the purpose past the aesthetic. That’s something that I think about with the blues a lot too. Like the sound of the blues versus the feeling of it. That’s sort of how I feel about soul food.
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+It’s like, the blues had one sound. Old-time music had its own sound, and then it sort of evolved into the early primitive blues, country blues. Then you get the blues with the electric guitars and all of the different sounds that emerged in the ’50s and ’60s with the blues. John Lee Hooker sounds a lot different than Lead Belly, right? It’s still all the blues, but there’s this evolution.
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+And to me, the blues is the sound of Black American suffering made into popular art to soothe the people who were suffering in the South. Right? And that sound can change, but the spirit behind the sound … to me, that’s the spirit of the blues.
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+So the spirit of soul food is the flavors of what helps Black people survive. And you survive by being comforted, but you also survive by being well. So that’s the question, can this baked fish and these peppery vegan greens, can that be soul food? Because it keeps me well and also engages with my food history? I hope so. I mean for it to be.
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+I think that there’s a question of taking comfort and healthy comfort versus self-soothing and self-medicating, and all of those parts too. I can’t give you simple answers to these questions.
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+Jamil Smith
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+I don’t want simple answers.
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+To hear the rest of the conversation, click here. You can subscribe to Vox Conversations on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts — and leave us a five-star rating, if you’d be so kind.
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+Also, we want to hear from you! Please email your thoughts and ideas to voxconversations@vox.com, and tell us who and what you’d like to hear on the program.
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Kyle Rittenhouse’s tears -
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+Kyle Rittenhouse becomes emotional as he testifies during his trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Wisconsin on November 10. | Mark Hertzberg/Getty Images
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+The 18-year-old who shot three men at a protest took the stand and resorted to a tried-and-true strategy for white men in trouble.
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+What Kyle Rittenhouse displayed in a Kenosha, Wisconsin, courtroom this week as he testified in his homicide trial was what folks like to call an “ugly cry.”
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+Charged in the killings of two men and injury of another amid days of racial justice protests last summer, the defendant started to falter on the stand as he described that fateful night last August,when the then-17-year-old was armed with a rifle, patrolling the streets of a town that was not his own. Rittenhouse’s eyes shut almost completely, save for an occasional glance to his left in the direction of the jury. Then came the sobbing, which kept the rest of his response to his attorney’s questioning about that evening from escaping his quivering lips.
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+Rittenhouse’s blubbering was the headline of the day after the defendant offered his much-awaited testimony in the case Wednesday, recalling the night he shot Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber to death and “vaporized” much of the bicep of medic Gaige Grosskreutz, according to Grosskreutz’s testimony. Rittenhouse wasn’t weeping with regret; he was claiming self-defense, and recounting how he felt his life was in danger.
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+The trial and pretrial proceedings had already sparked a national outcry after Judge Bruce Schroeder decided last month that prosecutors may not refer to Rosenbaum, Huber, and Grosskreutz as “victims,” and that defense attorneys could call them “looters” or “arsonists.” Now with his tears, Rittenhouse has cast himself as the lone victim in his own homicide trial.
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+When he wasn’t crying, Rittenhouse explained why he had traveled the roughly 20 miles from Illinois. Earlier that day, he allegedly offered “condolences” to a business owner for cars that were set afire the previous night, and he said that he and a friend agreed to help provide armed protection for the business that night. The defendant also testified that he gave a bulletproof vest in his possession — issued by the Grayslake, Illinois, police department’s Explorer program for young people interested in law enforcement careers — to a friend, saying he felt he wouldn’t need it because, he recalled in the courtroom,“I’m going to be helping people.”
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+The Illinois teenager faces two counts of first-degree homicide and one of attempted homicide, along with three other charges in the shooting on August 25, 2020, just a couple of nights after a Kenosha police officer shot Black motorist Jacob Blake seven times in the back in front of three of his children. The killings of the demonstrators caused a national shock wave last summer, highlighting the powder keg of emotion surrounding arrests, clashes, and tense exchanges as tens of millions of Americans took to the streets to protest racial injustice.
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+The debate this week has centered on whether the defendant’s spectacle was authentic. Whether or not the crying was real, it was a performance, and it had an audience. Like many white men accused of violent crimes and misconduct before him, Rittenhouse appealed with his tears not merely to the 12 fellow citizens who will decide his fate, but also to certain white members of the American public who too often see emotion like that and imagine only the faces of their sons — not any born to mothers who look like mine.
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+There is evidence that Rittenhouse conspicuously aligned himself with the “blue lives matter” crowd, so it’s worth considering his sobbing within the context of the toxic and limited view of manhood that remains so popular in America, particularly among the modern political right. Some compared Rittenhouse to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s reaction when questioned during his confirmation hearings about Christine Blasey Ford’s credible allegations of sexual assault. Wednesday’s display from Rittenhouse bore some similarities to Kavanaugh’s sanctimonious anger, which he often dotted with cracks in his voice. As I wrote at the time, the future Supreme Court justice took advantage of the leeway that his gender and privilege affords to him, and Rittenhouse did the same.
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+It is a particular privilege to be considered a “boy” after you’ve become an adult — and when you’ve made decisions like Rittenhouse’s. In Rittenhouse’s case, he was generously characterized by the New York Times as someone “who has idolized law enforcement since he was young” and went to Kenosha “with at least one mission: to play the role of police officer and medic.” The prosecution noted a number of his lies Wednesday, including false claims to the press about being an EMT. Part of the discomfort as we watched him emote, to say nothing of the suspicion, may be that we’re generally unfamiliar with seeing boys and men exhibit emotion in such a public way. Vulnerability and common conceptions of manhood, especially among conservatives, have not traditionally been bedfellows.
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+However, Rittenhouse’s emotion on the stand should be an indictment of his behavior, not an excuse for it. By law, he was too young to have the weapon he used to kill. He told the court that the reason he picked the AR-15-style rifle, as opposed to a handgun, is he thought “it looked cool.”
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+Legal experts I spoke with judged Rittenhouse’s testimony to be a positive for him, because the defense must have it both ways: While admitting to the facts of the shootings, they must show that Rittenhouse was the good guy that night, and that he feared for his life. If Rittenhouse provoked the conflict and shooting with his actions, he has no credible claim to self- defense. But if he can convince the jury that, as he told the court, it was either him or them, perhaps he created sufficient reasonable doubt. Time will tell.
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+American jurisprudence has bigger problems than Kyle Rittenhouse. This trial, however, is shining light on a few. Our legal system tends to treat young white men like him as sob stories rather than cautionary tales, especially if they exhibit anything approximating fear or remorse. The resentment and accusation of melodramatics is due in part to the reasonable presumption that another 17-year-old who isn’t white, committing the same act, wouldn’t receive the same sympathy. They wouldn’t be able to be caught in false statements — such as Rittenhouse’s claim on the night of the killing that Rosenbaum was armed when he allegedly threatened Rittenhouse prior to the shooting (Rosenbaum wasn’t) — and have any expectation that tears could secure their acquittal.
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+Rittenhouse’s victims were all white men, making them somewhat of an exception in American jurisprudence. Typically, such prejudgment is saved for people of color, and is handed out by law enforcement. If people of color even survive encounters with law enforcement and live to see the inside of a courtroom for the chance to be wrongfully convicted or disproportionately sentenced, it feels like a small miracle.
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+The self-styled militia patrolling the city that night were, by several accounts, mostly white men, yet another example of the unequally enforced protections of the Second Amendment. It isn’t that they didn’t have the right to do so, though Rittenhouse technically was too young(among the charges he faces is possessing a dangerous weapon under the age of 18).
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+Is it reasonable to think that a Black person similarly outfitted with a weapon of war during a civil rights protest in Kenosha would not have been arrested or potentially harmed by the police swarming the streets? If that person shot someone, would they be able to use the defense so many police officers use when killing Black and brown people — that they feared for their life? Tears on the stand didn’t work for the Exonerated Five in New York City back in 1989. Would they work for anyone who looked like us?
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+This speaks to much of the negative reaction to Rittenhouse’s display on the stand Wednesday. It isn’t simply that a killer cried about his own fear, rather than the lives he took. It represented the exercise of entitlement, the enduring perception of the youth of white men and boys who commit illegal acts.
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+Racial favoritism remains one of the many cancers afflicting our jurisprudence. By the late summer of 2020, there were fewer children incarcerated in the United States than at any point since the 1980s — but then a survey, released in March by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, revealed that even during a pandemic, the racial disparity in youth detention grew even wider, with white children in 30 states being released at a rate 17 percent higher than Black youths.
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+“America’s mistreatment of Black children is chronic and casual,” NYU law professor emerita Kim Taylor-Thompson wrote in May. “The ‘Black person as criminal’ stereotype, which equates dangerousness with skin color, has demonstrated remarkable resilience over time. It persists even in light of conflicting data.”
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+Kyle Rittenhouse can’t reverse that stereotype by himself, even if he’s convicted. It isn’t bad if Rittenhouse receives a fair trial. Everyone should. That’s the point. However, it’s the exploitation of the leeway too often given to young white defendants that makes people resentful, and rightfully so.
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+The manner in which Rittenhouse has been granted grace is astounding, but not necessarily bad. But Jacob Blake is paralyzed today, in part, because he didn’t receive the benefit of the doubt from a police officer that Rittenhouse has received from a legion of supporters (with even a judge seeming to tip the scales in his favor). If all lives truly mattered, that wouldn’t be the case.
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+Correction, 6 pm: A previous version of this story stated that Kyle Rittenhouse brought the AR-15-style rifle he used from Illinois. A friend of Rittenhouse’s is alleged to have purchased the gun for him in Wisconsin.
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From The Hindu: Sports
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Making MotoGP popular my biggest achievement, says Rossi - Rossi started his career in the 125cc category and won a world title in 1997, followed by the 250cc championship in 1999; he moved to the premier class and won seven titles between 2001 and 2009
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Rahane to lead India in first Test against New Zealand, all-format stars rested - Vihari dropped as Shreyas back in Test squad
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Indian women’s cricket team to tour New Zealand ahead of World Cup next year - The six-match series will begin with the lone T20 on February 9 and end on February 24
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F1 title task is as steep as it can be, says Hamilton - The Brazilian round will also be the third and final sprint event of the season, with qualifying on Friday for a 100km race on Saturday that decides the starting grid for Sunday’s main grand prix
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Brazil beats Colombia 1-0 to qualify for Qatar World Cup - Sixth-place Uruguay can still total Brazil’s 34 points, but it will face Chile in the last round of qualifying, which makes it mathematically impossible for both of them to overtake the leader
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From The Hindu: National News
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SC takes up plea on hate speech proliferation - Bench says it will, rather than deal with the case piecemeal, hear what authorities had to say
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Former CVC to inaugurate 50-bed hospital on Saturday - Sri Gurudeva Charitable Trust constructed the hospital to serve the poor
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Will consider as per law Bhim Army Chief’s plea for common election symbol, Election Commission tells Delhi High Court - Considering EC’s stand, the judge disposed of the petition, observing that the petitioner’s application may be considered by the commission in terms of the Symbols Order and other applicable laws.
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Samajwadi Party will form govt in Uttar Pradesh: Akhilesh Yadav - The SP leader said unemployment and inflation are big issues in the country.
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Top Maoist leader carrying bounty of ₹1 cr arrested by Jharkhand police - Bose, wanted in several criminal cases, is a senior leader of the outfit’s central committee.
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From BBC: Europe
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Covid: Dutch set for partial lockdown as infections surge - The measures, due to last three weeks, are expected to cover shops, sport and catering.
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Poland border: West condemns Belarus at UN over stranded migrants - EU nations, the US and UK say Belarus is putting migrants’ lives in danger for political purposes.
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Poland-Belarus: How social media posts fuelled the migrant crisis - Messages on social media had a key role in a mass move of migrants to the Polish border this week.
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Memorial: Russia moves to close major human rights group - The group say that prosecutors have accused it of violating a law on foreign agents.
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Aminata Diallo: Paris St-Germain midfielder released by police without charge - Paris St-Germain midfielder Aminata Diallo is released without charge by French police investigating an attack on her PSG team-mate Kheira Hamraoui.
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From Ars Technica
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Rocket Report: SpinLaunch spins up, Falcon Heavy to return big time in 2022 - “It’s a radically different way to accelerate projectiles and launch vehicles.” - link
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Spiders’ movements are tracked by scientists as they weave their webs - Johns Hopkins researchers used night vision and AI tools to reveal shared set of rules. - link
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Booking.com was reportedly hacked by a US intel agency but never told customers - Data involving Middle Eastern countries stolen by man working for unknown US agency. - link
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Tapeworms found in man’s brain years after he ate feces-tainted food - Neurocysticercosis and a most disturbing way to get tapeworms in your brain. - link
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You shall not pinch to zoom: Rittenhouse trial judge disallows basic iPad feature - Judge: iPad pinch-to-zoom could “insert more items” into video of shootings. - link
A Father Notices His Son’s Bedroom Is Spotless, Then Finds An Envelope -
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+A father passing by his son’s bedroom was astonished to see that his bed was nicely made and everything was picked up. Then he saw an Envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow that was addressed to ‘Dad.’
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+With the worst premonition he opened the envelope with trembling hands and read the letter.
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+Dear Dad: It is with great regret and sorrow that I’m writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mom and you.
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+I have been finding real passion with Stacy and she is so nice.
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+But I knew you would not approve of her because of all her piercing, tattoos, tight motorcycle clothes and the fact that she is much older than I am. But it’s not only the passion…Dad she’s pregnant. Stacy said that we will be very happy.
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+She owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. We share a dream of having many more children.
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+Stacy has opened my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn’t really hurt anyone.
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+We’ll be growing it for ourselves and trading it with the other people that live nearby for cocaine and ecstasy.
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+In the meantime we will pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Stacy can get better. She deserves it.
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+Don’t worry Dad. I’m 15 and I know how to take care of myself.
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+Someday I’m sure that we will be back to visit so that you can get to know your grandchildren. Love, Your Son John
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+PS. Dad, none of the above is true. I’m over at Tommy’s house.
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+I Just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than a Report card that’s in my center desk drawer.
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+I love you. Call me when it’s safe to come home.
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A handsome man in a suit approaches a young lady at a bar and asks if he can buy her a drink. “Don’t you have a girlfriend?” she asked. “Guys like you always have girlfriends.” -
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+He looked downcast, “No, sadly we broke up just over a month ago.”
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+“Oh I’m sorry to hear that,” she said, “OK then, I’ll have a white wine please.”
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+One glass of wine led to a second. A few drinks later after a kiss and a cuddle they headed off back to her place and made passionate love.
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+While he was putting his clothes back on she said, “So, you’re good looking, a nice guy and amazing in bed. Can I ask why on earth you split with your girlfriend?”
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Michael Tullberg/Getty Images
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