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The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on the 11th of March 2020, but the world is still reeling from its aftermath. Originating from China, cases quickly spread across the globe, prompting the implementation of stringent measures by world governments in efforts to isolate cases and limit the transmission rate of the virus. These measures have however shattered the core sustaining pillars of the modern world economies as global trade and cooperation succumbed to nationalist focus and competition for scarce supplies. Against this backdrop, this paper presents a critical review of the catalogue of negative and positive impacts of the pandemic and proffers perspectives on how it can be leveraged to steer towards a better, more resilient low-carbon economy. The paper diagnosed the danger of relying on pandemic-driven benefits to achieving sustainable development goals and emphasizes a need for a decisive, fundamental structural change to the dynamics of how we live. It argues for a rethink of the present global economic growth model, shaped by a linear economy system and sustained by profiteering and energy-gulping manufacturing processes, in favour of a more sustainable model recalibrated on circular economy (CE) framework. Building on evidence in support of CE as a vehicle for balancing the complex equation of accomplishing profit with minimal environmental harms, the paper outlines concrete sector-specific recommendations on CE-related solutions as a catalyst for the global economic growth and development in a resilient post-COVID-19 world.
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INTRODUCTION: We examined the clinical relevance of urinary concentrations of B-cell-activating factor of the tumour necrosis factor family (BAFF) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: We quantified urinary BAFF (uBAFF) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 85 SLE, 28 primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS), 40 immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) patients and 36 healthy controls (HCs). Urinary APRIL (uAPRIL) and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (uMCP-1) were also quantified. Overall and renal SLE disease activity were assessed using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000. RESULTS: uBAFF was detected in 12% (10/85) of SLE patients, but was undetectable in HCs, IgAN and pSS patients. uBAFF was detectable in 28% (5/18) of SLE patients with active nephritis vs 5/67 (7%) of those without ( p = 0.03), and uBAFF was significantly higher in active renal patients ( p = 0.02) and more likely to be detected in patients with persistently active renal disease. In comparison, uAPRIL and uMCP-1 were detected in 32% (25/77) and 46% (22/48) of SLE patients, respectively. While no difference in proportion of samples with detectable uAPRIL was observed between SLE, HCs and IgAN patients, both uAPRIL and uMCP-1 were significantly detectable in higher proportions of patients with active renal disease. CONCLUSIONS: uBAFF was detectable in a small but a significant proportion of SLE patients but not in other groups tested, and was higher in SLE patients with active renal disease.