Latest news with #Daniell
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New Virus-Trapping Gum Could Help Neutralize Herpes Infections
A special type of chewing gum can 'trap' and neutralize some influenza and herpes viruses, according to new experiments from scientists in the US and Finland. The herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 (HSV-1/-2) can both cause oral herpes, and despite being one of the most common infections in the world, there are hardly any preventative measures available today to stop the spread. Some scientists are hopeful that this new anti-viral gum could help fill that gap, especially as research on a herpes vaccine stalls due to a lack of funding. Plus, even if a vaccine is found, there are likely to be breakthrough infections, and chewing gum could help stop those from spreading further. Current vaccines for influenza, for instance, do not prevent transmission from breakthrough infections, so this gum could be a useful addition for treating orally spread viruses. The clinical-grade chewy is made from lablab bean powder, ground from the seeds of the Lablab purpureus species, which contain a natural viral trap protein called FRIL. In experiments using a mechanical mouth, chewing the liquid-soaked gum for 15 minutes released more than 50 percent of the FRIL proteins it contained. Collecting the simulated saliva from this chewing, researchers then tested how well the liquid neutralizes viruses. Depending on the dose of FRIL to start with, the 'saliva' produced from chewing showed greater than 95 percent neutralization of the H1N1 and H3N2 influenza viruses in the lab. It also showed up to 75 percent neutralization of the HSV-1 virus and up to 94 percent of the HSV-2 virus – the two most common herpes viruses out there. Neutralization means that the virus is less likely to infect cells and replicate itself, which would theoretically lead to a reduce viral load and lower chances of transmission. "These observations augur well for evaluating bean gum in human clinical studies to minimize virus infection/transmission," conclude the authors, led by biochemist Henry Daniell from the University of Pennsylvania. The new study builds on previous experiments, which found that chewing gum containing certain anti-virals can get rid of more than 95 percent of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in mouth swabs or saliva samples, thereby reducing oral transmission of COVID-19. Scientists are now testing that 'anti-COVID' chewing gum in clinical trials, but in the meantime, researchers are turning to other viruses to see if the solution works there as well. For instance, another previous study published in 2020 on lablab beans found that FRIL proteins effectively reduced levels of H5N1 and H7N9 – both of which are influenza viruses that can cause flu in humans and birds. "Controlling transmission of viruses continues to be a major global challenge," says Daniell. "A broad spectrum antiviral protein (FRIL) present in a natural food product (bean powder) to neutralize not only human flu viruses but also avian (bird) flu is a timely innovation to prevent their infection and transmission." The approach seems to be most suitable for reducing viral loads in saliva and the throat area, which are two main sites of oral viral transmission. The US FDA generally considers lablab bean powder to be safe and non-toxic for human use at low enough levels. Whether it proves to be an effective anti-viral in clinical trials is another matter. The study was published in Molecular Therapy. These 7 Common Daily Habits Could Be Damaging Your Kidneys Statins Could Reduce Dementia Risk Even in People With Low Cholesterol Review of Thousands of Studies Confirms Best Way to Keep Memory Sharp
The Independent
30-01-2025
- General
- The Independent
First recipients of new medal honouring humanitarian efforts ‘shocked' by award
Two aid workers have said they are 'shocked' after being awarded a 'humbling' new medal honouring their work during major humanitarian crises. Shyam Rana, Anna Daniell and Melanie Johnson have been recognised with the Humanitarian Medal for their responses on behalf of the United Kingdom to the Morocco Earthquake, the floods in Libya – both in September 2023 – and the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The trio are the first people to receive the medal, with the responses having been approved by the King. Recipients of the medal, which was first announced in July 2023, will be people who have responded to major humanitarian disasters, both at home and abroad. Crises could range from natural and conflict-related disasters to significant industrial accidents and biological emergencies, such as an epidemic. Mr Rana, 55, from Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, was operations commander for the UK International Search and Rescue (ISAR) team in Morocco, helping to search and rescue people under collapsed buildings. At home he works for the West Midlands Fire Service Technical Rescue unit in Birmingham. Reacting to the medal, he told the PA news agency: 'It's a huge honour for me. It's a humbling experience, really. 'I'm coming towards the end of a 27-year career in the fire service, 19 of which have been in the ISAR team. I've been deployed all over the world [to] seven international rescue missions, and I'm just about to leave all that behind, so this really crowns a lifetime of service.' Mr Rana said his ISAR team, comprising more than 60 members, was on the ground in Morocco searching for victims of the earthquake within 18 hours of receiving the initial call. The searches included villages deep in the Atlas Mountains, where on one occasion the crew was forced to sleep rough overnight due to its remoteness. Mr Rana said: 'In the UK, we go to house fires or building collapses that involve one or two people. On these international disasters it's in the tens or hundreds of thousands of people who are dead or have lost their homes and their loved ones, and are without any support. 'It's hugely rewarding for us, but it takes its toll. When you see devastation on this magnitude, it puts you in a different mindset. It makes you want to come back and do more of this work.' Mr Rana said his humanitarian work made him 'incredibly proud', adding: 'This [work] needs to go on. 'When you save people in other countries in their time of need we build relationships, whether they're political or economic, and those people don't forget that. They don't forget the things that you do for them.' Ms Daniell, 34, from Chorlton, Greater Manchester, led the UK's Emergency Medical Team into Derna, Libya, after heavy rains from Storm Daniel burst two major dams, causing widespread destructive flooding. Speaking about learning of her medal, Ms Daniell said: 'It's a real honour to be selected. It was really exciting, a really nice surprise. I was not expecting it at all. 'I think I was quite shocked when I found out at first, it's sort of still sinking in a little bit. 'The fact that this new award has been created, I think it really helps to kind of highlight the importance of humanitarian work.' Ms Daniell said whole neighbourhoods in Derna were swept into the sea by the floods, while critical bridges and roads were also badly damaged, making their response efforts much trickier. 'I will never forget the first time that we drove into the city centre of Derna,' she said. 'On the journey there, we'd been chatting, talking in the car, and we all, I think, just fell silent as we drove through the city. 'As a person I'd say I'm probably rarely speechless, but I think the level of devastation that we saw there, I don't think I'll ever forget that.' Reflecting on her time in Libya, Ms Daniell, who works as an operations coordinator for the humanitarian medical NGO UK-Med, added: 'I truly believe that everyone should have access to quality healthcare, especially in crises or natural disasters. And I think as well, just for people to know that they haven't been forgotten. 'I think we were able to do really great work, you know, clinically, but also kind of on, like a on a personal level, to be able to provide a bit of a respite for, you know, some of the clinicians in Libya who had been, you know, basically working around the clock since the disaster happened.' Ms Johnson, from Totterdown in Bristol, is the medical co-ordinator for the humanitarian medical NGO UK-Med in Gaza, providing surgical, primary, and community healthcare support at hospitals in the territory. The medal's design features an image of the King on one side and the words 'for humanitarian service' interwoven with a laurel wreath on the other. It is decorated with a multi-coloured ribbon which aims to reflect 'the different paths for humanitarian service and the variety of services involved in such responses', according to the Cabinet Office. Government departments make recommendations for eligible Humanitarian responses before medal awards are submitted to the King for approval. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 'This new medal recognises the incredible dedication and selfless service of individuals on the frontline of the UK's responses to some of the world's most devastating crises. 'I am delighted the first tranche of awards will recognise members of the UK government's emergency deployment teams, for their brave work in Libya, Morocco and Gaza. 'The International Search and Rescue team and Emergency Medical Team are made up of expert firefighters and medics from across the UK, who travel to the most challenging of environments to save lives.'
BBC News
30-01-2025
- General
- BBC News
First new medal winner recalls 'extreme devastation'
The first recipients of the new Humanitarian Medal have been announced, recognising aid workers, rescuers and emergency services sent by the UK government to international disasters and Daniell is among the award winners, honoured for her efforts to provide medical services after dam bursts and deadly flooding in Libya in told the BBC she would never forget her first sight of the scale of devastation, which had taken lives, destroyed neighbourhoods, smashed roads and left cars "like empty Coke cans that have just been crumpled".Anna welcomes the public recognition of humanitarian workers: "It really fills me with confidence that this is something that's being valued." The new type of medal, conferred by King Charles, was announced by the Cabinet Office in July 2023 as a way of honouring those deployed by the UK to assist in major international first batch of 30 winners has been announced, with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, calling them "shining examples of public service" who have shown "selfless dedication to saving lives".Anna went to Dern in Libya in September 2023 to lead the UK Emergency Medical Team, in the wake of floods in which an estimated 20,000 people lost their lives, a situation she describes as "extreme devastation".She has worked in Ukraine and also in Turkey after the earthquake, but she says arriving in Dern had been shocking. "We fell completely silent."The bursting of dams had "swept whole neighbourhoods into the sea". "Just the power of seven-metre waves coming down in the middle of the night into a city. I think you can know intellectually what that might be like, but actually seeing it for real, I don't think I'll ever forget that," she says. The task of the UK medical team was to provide healthcare, helping traumatised survivors alongside local health workers, who Anna says were often exhausted and had lost members of their own families."Many people were dead and missing, but we were there providing mobile healthcare, such as primary health care and maternity care," she who is based in Manchester, says it was an "amazing surprise" to become one of the first winners of the medal, which she says "highlights the importance of humanitarian aid".Their efforts are more important than ever, she says, adding: "These are extremely fragile times that we are living in at the moment, you know, due to climate change or prolonged conflict." Also among the first medal winners is Shyam regular job is as a firefighter in the West Midlands, but he was honoured for his work after the Morocco earthquake in 2023 with the UK International Search and Rescue team, which has a specialism in searching for people in collapsed Johnson has been honoured for leading a UK medical team in Gaza during the recent conflict, providing surgical, primary, and community healthcare support in a field awards are a long time in development and the design on the reverse was approved by the late Queen Elizabeth Secretary David Lammy said: "This new medal recognises the incredible dedication and selfless service of individuals on the front line of the UK's responses to some of the world's most devastating crises." Sign up here to get the latest royal stories and analysis straight to your inbox every week with our Royal Watch newsletter. Those outside the UK can sign up here.
