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COVID nasal sprays may one day prevent and treat infection

<p>We have vaccines to boost our immune response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID. We have medicines you can take at home (and in hospital) to treat COVID. Now researchers are trialling something new.</p> <p>They want to develop drugs that stop the virus getting into the body in the first place. That includes nasal sprays that stop the virus attaching to cells in the nose.</p> <p>Other researchers are looking at the potential for nasal sprays to stop the virus replicating in the nose, or to make the nose a hostile place to enter the body.</p> <p>Here’s where the science is up to and what we can expect next.</p> <h2>How could we block the virus?</h2> <p>“Viral blockade”, as the name suggests, is a simple premise based on blocking SARS-CoV-2. In other words, if something gets in its way, the virus cannot attach to a cell and it can’t infect you.</p> <p>As SARS-CoV-2 is a respiratory virus, it makes sense to deliver this type of medicine where the virus mainly enters the body – via the nose, in a nasal spray.</p> <p>There are various groups around the world working on this concept. Some research is still being conducted in the lab. Some agents have progressed to preliminary human trials. None are yet available for widespread use.</p> <p><strong>Heparin</strong></p> <p>Heparin is a common medicine that’s been used for decades to thin the blood. Studies in mice show that when heparin is delivered via the nose, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11095-022-03191-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it’s safe</a> and <a href="https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/JVI.01987-20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">effective</a> in preventing the virus binding to nose cells. Researchers believe heparin binds to the virus itself and stops the virus attaching to the cells it’s trying to infect.</p> <p>A <a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05204550" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clinical trial</a> is being <a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/covid-nasal-spray-treatment-clinical-trials-begin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conducted in Victoria</a> in collaboration between multiple Melbourne-based research centres and the University of Oxford.</p> <p><strong>Covixyl-V</strong></p> <p>Covixyl-V (ethyl lauroyl arginine hydrochloride) is another nasal spray <a href="https://assets.researchsquare.com/files/rs-911449/v1/0577f1f1-56f8-476f-97f6-d27d332ea9ca.pdf?c=1643375660" target="_blank" rel="noopener">under development</a>. It aims to prevent COVID by blocking or modifying the cell surface to prevent the virus from infecting.</p> <p>This compound has been explored for use in various viral infections, and <a href="https://assets.researchsquare.com/files/rs-911449/v1/0577f1f1-56f8-476f-97f6-d27d332ea9ca.pdf?c=1643375660" target="_blank" rel="noopener">early studies</a> in cells and small animals has shown it can prevent attachment of SARS-CoV-2 and reduce the overall viral load.</p> <p><strong>Iota-carrageenan</strong></p> <p>This molecule, which is extracted from seaweed, acts by blocking virus entry into <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fviro.2021.746824/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener">airway cells</a>.</p> <p>One study of about 400 health-care workers suggests a nasal spray may reduce the incidence of COVID <a href="https://www.dovepress.com/efficacy-of-a-nasal-spray-containing-iota-carrageenan-in-the-postexpos-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJGM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">by up to 80%</a>.</p> <p><strong>IGM-6268</strong></p> <p>This is <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03673-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an engineered antibody</a> that binds to SARS-CoV-2, <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/06/210603171306.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blocking</a> the virus from attaching to cells in the nose.</p> <p>A nasal and oral (mouth) spray are in a clinical trial <a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05184218?term=IGM-6268&amp;draw=2&amp;rank=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to assess safety</a>.</p> <p><strong>Cold atmospheric plasma</strong></p> <p>This is a gas that contains charged particles. At cold temperatures, it can <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0165322" target="_blank" rel="noopener">alter the surface</a> of a cell.</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.thno.org/v12p2811.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lab-based study</a> shows the gas changes expression of receptors on the skin that would normally allow the virus to attach. This results in less SARS-CoV-2 attachment and infection.</p> <p>Scientists now think this technology could be adapted to a nasal spray to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection.</p> <h2>How could we stop the virus replicating?</h2> <p>Another tactic is to develop nasal sprays that stop the virus replicating in the nose.</p> <p>Researchers are designing genetic fragments that bind to the viral RNA. These fragments – known as “<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-32216-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">locked nucleic acid antisense oligonucleotides</a>” (or LNA ASOs for short) – put a proverbial spanner in the works and stop the virus from replicating.</p> <p>A spray of these genetic fragments delivered into the nose <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-32216-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reduced virus replication in the nose</a> and prevented disease in small animals.</p> <h2>How could we change the nose?</h2> <p>A third strategy is to change the nose environment to make it less hospitable for the virus.</p> <p>That could be by using a nasal spray to change moisture levels (with saline), alter the pH (making the nose more acidic or alkaline), or adding a virus-killing agent (iodine).</p> <p>Saline can reduce the amount of <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/fullarticle/2768627" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SARS-CoV-2 in the nose</a> by simply washing away the virus. One study has even found that saline nasal irrigation <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/01455613221123737" target="_blank" rel="noopener">can lessen COVID disease</a> severity. But we would need further research into saline sprays.</p> <p>An Australian-led study has found that an iodine-based nasal spray <a href="https://www.theajo.com/article/view/4466/html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reduced the viral load</a> in the nose. Further <a href="https://www.uwa.edu.au/news/Article/2022/February/Study-finds-nasal-spray-could-aid-battle-against-COVID" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clinical trials</a> are planned.</p> <p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1386653222001809#!" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One study</a> used a test spray – containing ingredients including eucalyptus and clove oils, potassium chloride and glycerol. The aim was to kill the virus and change the acidity of the nose to prevent the virus attaching.</p> <p>This novel formulation has been tested in the lab and in a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1386653222001809#!" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clinical trial</a> showing it to be safe and to reduce infection rate from about 34% to 13% when compared to placebo controls.</p> <h2>Barriers ahead</h2> <p>Despite promising data so far on nasal sprays for COVID, one of the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-03341-z" target="_blank" rel="noopener">major barriers</a> is keeping the sprays in the nose.</p> <p>To overcome this, most sprays need multiple applications a day, sometimes every few hours.</p> <p>So based on what we know so far, nasal sprays will not singlehandedly beat COVID. But if they are shown to be safe and effective in clinical trials, and receive regulatory approval, they might be another tool to help prevent it.</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-nasal-sprays-may-one-day-prevent-and-treat-infection-heres-where-the-science-is-up-to-193840" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Body

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13 genius ways to use cooking spray that go way beyond the kitchen

<p><span>Bet you didn’t have a clue cooking spray was so versatile.</span></p> <p><strong>Grating cheese</strong></p> <p><span>Put less elbow grease into grating cheese by using a non-stick cooking spray on your cheese grater for smoother grating. The spray also makes for easier and faster clean-up.</span></p> <p><strong>Prevent tomato sauce stains</strong></p> <p><span>Sick of those hard-to-clean tomato sauce stains on your plastic containers? To prevent them, apply a light coating of non-stick cooking spray on the inside of the container before you pour in the tomato sauce.</span></p> <p><strong>Keep car wheels clean</strong></p> <p><span>You know that fine black stuff that collects on the wheels of your car and is so hard to clean off? That’s brake dust – it’s produced every time you apply your brakes and the pads wear against the brake disks or cylinders. The next time you invest the elbow grease to get your wheels shiny, give them a light coating of cooking spray. The brake dust will wipe right off.</span></p> <p><strong>Lubricate your bicycle chain</strong></p> <p><span>Bike chain a bit creaky and you don’t have any lubricating oil handy? Give it a shot of non-stick cooking spray instead. Don’t use too much – the chain shouldn’t look wet. Wipe off the excess with a clean rag.</span></p> <p><strong>Cure door squeaks</strong></p> <p><span>Heard that door squeak just one time too many? Hit the hinge with some non-stick cooking spray. Have paper towels handy to wipe up the drips.</span></p> <p><strong>Remove paint and grease</strong></p> <p><span>Forget smelly solvents to remove paint and grease from your hands. Instead, use cooking spray to do the job. Work it in well and rinse. Wash again with soap and water.</span></p> <p><strong>Dry nail polish</strong></p> <p><span>Need your nail polish to dry in a hurry? Spray it with a coat of cooking spray and let dry. The spray is also a great moisturiser for your hands.</span></p> <p><strong>Quick casting</strong></p> <p><span>Pack a can of cooking spray when you go fishing. Spray it on your fishing line and the line will cast easier and further.</span></p> <p><strong>Prevent grass sticking</strong></p> <p><span>Mowing the lawn should be easy, but cleaning cut grass from the mower is tedious. Prevent grass from sticking on mower blades and the underside of the housing by spraying them with cooking oil before you begin mowing.</span></p> <p><strong>Lubricate your locks</strong></p> <p><span>Tired of jiggling your keys in your locks? If you deal with a tough lock interior or sticky keys, try using a few sprays of cooking oil. The oil will help slide your key in and get you through the door much easier.</span></p> <p><strong>Say bye to soap scum</strong></p> <p><span>Spray your shower door with cooking oil and stubborn soap scum will come right off when you wipe it with a towel. Oil breaks down lime deposits so that’s why it removes easily. After a few swipes with a towel, clean the surface to maximise the cleanliness.</span></p> <p><strong>Coat measuring cups</strong></p> <p><span>The next time a recipe calls for a sticky ingredient such as honey, coat your measuring cups with oil so your quantity is exact and will slide right out when pouring it into your mixture.</span></p> <p><strong>Remove gum from your hair</strong></p> <p><span>Having gum in your hair is a nightmare. Before you start freaking out or think you need scissors to chop it out, try spraying the gum with cooking spray. It should loosen it up enough to the point where it will slide right out.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Written by Christina Farah. This article first appeared in </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/diy-tips/13-genius-ways-to-use-cooking-spray-that-go-way-beyond-the-kitchen" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Reader’s Digest</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, </span><a rel="noopener" href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">here’s our best subscription offer.</span></a></em></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p> <p><img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" /></p>

Home Hints & Tips

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The offence of a child possessing spray paint without a lawful purpose in NSW

<p><em>Image: Getty </em></p> <p>Once just an American holiday that Australians would see on the big screen in movies like ET, Halloween has slowly, but steadily made its way to our shores.</p> <p>And every year it just seems to get bigger here.</p> <p>The shops have been full of decorations and paraphernalia for weeks, and now that Sydney, and most of New South Wales, are no longer under lockdown restrictions, it’s likely that many families are looking forward to participating on 31 October 2021, taking the opportunity to get together with the neighbours, have some fun and feel a sense of ‘normalcy’.</p> <p>But what’s it going to be like to celebrate Halloween in the time of Covid?  Well, it’s undoubtedly going to be an event that puts health and safety first.</p> <p><strong>Health Advice</strong></p> <p>Families are being encouraged to check in with the<span> </span>NSW Health website<span> </span>to check on any restrictions in their local area.</p> <p>These are likely to include using hand sanitiser and face covering, only handing out and accepting individually wrapped treats, keeping group and visiting sizes down, and exercising physical distancing.</p> <p><strong>Stay on the right side of the law!</strong></p> <p>Of course, children should always be supervised by a responsible adult who can oversee their personal safety.</p> <p>Anyone driving should remember that Halloween tends to be a night that kids rule the streets, so drivers need to be wary, particularly at dusk when visibility is reduced.</p> <p>Pedestrians should stick to footpaths and designated crossings, and also be aware of road safety.</p> <p>Unfortunately, this is also a night where the kids can get out of control!</p> <p>‘Sugar highs’, peer pressure and the false confidence provided by a superhero costume can lead to some kids and teens behaving badly – potentially even finding themselves on the wrong side of the law by engaging in activities like egging houses and cars, damaging plants and foliage, and other<span> </span>acts of vandalism and graffiti.</p> <p><strong>The offence of graffiti in NSW </strong></p> <p>Section 4 of the Graffiti Control Act 2008 (NSW), a person who marks a premises or property can face a penalty of up to 12 months in prison and/or a $2,200 fine if the prosecution is able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that:</p> <ol> <li>The marking was done intentionally,</li> <li>There was no consent from the owner of the premises or property that was marked on;, and</li> <li>Either:</li> </ol> <ul> <li>A graffiti implement was used for marking the premises or property. This includes, spray paint, maker pen, or anything designed to produce a mark that’s not readily removable by wiping it (or by use of water or detergent); or</li> <li>The marking was done in such a manner that it isn’t readily removable by wiping it (or by using water or detergent).</li> </ul> <p><strong>The offence of a child possessing spray paint in NSW </strong></p> <p>Section 8B of the Act<span> </span>makes it an offence for a person under the age of 18 years to possess spray paint in a public place. The maximum penalty for this offence is 6 months in prison and/or an $1,100 fine.</p> <p>A ‘public place’ is defined as<span> </span>a place (whether or not covered by water), or a part of premises,</p> <p>that is open to the public, or is used by the public whether or not on payment of money or other consideration, whether or not the place or part is ordinarily so open or used and whether or not the public to whom it is open consists only of a limited class of persons, but does not include the premises of a school or other educational establishment.</p> <p>The defences to this particular offence are where:<br />(a)  the spray paint  was intended for a defined lawful purpose, being the lawful pursuit of an occupation, education or training, or</p> <p>(b)  the spray paint was for another defined lawful purpose and was at or in the immediate vicinity of the place where the spray paint can was being used or intended to be used for that defined lawful purpose.</p> <p><strong>The offence of intentionally or recklessly damaging a property in NSW</strong></p> <p>Graffiti vandalism by way of marking surfaces can also result in criminal charges of<span> </span>intentionally or recklessly destroying or damaging property, which is an offence under<span> </span>section 195 of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW)<span> </span>and comes with a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.</p> <p>Intentionally means wilfully or purposely, while recklessly means foreseeing the possibility of damage or destruction but proceeding regardless.</p> <p>Courts have found that property is considered to have been damaged where:</p> <ul> <li>There is permanent damage,</li> <li>There is temporary functional derangement,</li> <li>There is temporary impairment of usefulness,</li> <li>The physical integrity of the property is altered, or</li> <li>The property is rendered imperfect or inoperative.</li> </ul> <p>Some examples of conduct found by the courts to constitute damage include:</p> <ul> <li>Placing a blanket in a toilet and flushing,</li> <li>Letting down the tyres of a car,</li> <li>Painting graffiti on walls or floors, and</li> <li>Breaking a raw egg on the windscreen of a car.</li> </ul> <p><strong>The offence of trespassing in NSW </strong></p> <p>Trick or treaters should also be aware that not everyone participates in Halloween and for some it can be a real nuisance, and if you’re on someone’s property and they don’t want you there, you can also be charged with trespassing.</p> <p>Trespassing – which is also known as entering inclosed lands without permission – is an offence under<span> </span>section 4 of the Inclosed Lands Protection Act 1901 (NSW),<span> </span>which makes it an offence to enter inclosed lands without permission which carries a maximum fine of $550.</p> <p>Section 4A of the Act<span> </span>imposes steeper penalties for remaining on the premises after the owner or occupier directs you to leave. In such a case, the maximum fine is $2,200 where the land is a ‘prescribed premises’ such as a school, hospital, child care centre or nursing home,  or $1,100 in all other cases.</p> <p>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/the-offence-of-a-child-possessing-spray-paint-without-a-lawful-purpose-in-nsw/">Sydney Criminal Lawyers.</a></p> <p> </p>

Legal

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"Get off my lawn!": Man cops spray for hose-based deterrent

<p>A man has gone viral on TikTok for showing his controversial way of preventing people from cutting across his front lawn. </p> <p>Thomas Lyons' house is located on the corner of two streets, with many using his unfenced front yard as a shortcut to the adjoining street. </p> <p>Thomas was sick of people trespassing on his property and trampling all over his perfect grass, so he devised a cunning plan to stop people using it as a thoroughfare. </p> <p>Thomas has repeatedly asked those who frequently cut across his lawn to stop and use the footpath, but his warnings have since gone unheeded. </p> <p>Taking matters into his own hands, Thomas installed sprinklers that go off whenever they detect any motion, leaving trespassers soaking wet and having to run to the footpath as quickly as possible. </p> <p>Thomas shared a video of his unique methods to his TikTok account, after also posting videos of people trampling on his perfectly maintained lawn at all hours of the day and night. </p> <p>Many people have divided opinions on his tactics, as the video has quickly racked up an impressive 40 million views. </p> <p><span>Many of his followers have praised his efforts, with one person commenting, "There's a sidewalk 10 feet away... constantly walking over the grass will kill it."</span></p> <p><span>"I was always taught not to walk on people's grass but I never knew why," another person says.</span></p> <p><span>"Also, if they tripped and fell on the grass and broke their leg, I'm assuming they would sue the owner," says another understanding user. </span></p> <p><span>While many commenters were quick to praise Thomas' efforts, there were also a lot of comments wondering why he went to such extremes to install a sprinkler system when he could've built a fence around his property instead.</span></p> <p><span>"The level of petty," says one person.</span></p> <p><span>"These are school kids," comments another. "You could just put a stone path. It's just grass, kindness means so much more."</span></p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok @tgunz81</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"She's a failure": Ita Buttrose cops direct spray from Michael Kroger

<p>Liberal Party powerbroker Michael Kroger has urged ABC chairwoman Ita Buttrose to "just resign", revealing senior cabinet ministers regret ever putting her in the job.</p> <p>In an epic spray on Sky News, Mr Kroger has described the businesswoman, founding editor of Cleo magazine and now Chairman of the ABC as "a failure" because the national broadcaster was anti-Liberal.</p> <p>“Ita should resign,’’ Mr Kroger told Sky News.</p> <p>“Ita has been a terrible failure. And I know there are many people in the Coalition, including people in the cabinet who regret her appointment.”</p> <p>Ms Buttrose, a former Australian of the Year, was made an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) in 1979 and an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1998. She advanced to a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 2019.</p> <p>“She and some of those board members should go. She’s lost control of the Board. The Board has lost control of the managing director. The managing director has certainly lost control of news and current affairs,’’ Mr Kroger said.</p> <p>Mr Kroger, who served on the ABC board for five years, said the ABC could not be reformed because the left-wing staff ran the organisation in defiance of any outside interference.</p> <p>“The ABC staff are more powerful than ever,’’ he said.</p> <p>Mr Kroger went on to describe various programs as throwing “political acid” in the Liberal Party’s face.</p> <p>“They have weaponised Four Corners, Q&amp;A in particular, which is like political acid in the face of the Liberal Party,’’ he said.</p> <p>“It’s a shockingly biased program. The Drum, these current affairs shows are just weaponised against the Coalition.”</p> <p>The Liberal Party powerbroker then claimed that the ABC's flagship current affairs program had investigated the "behaviour" of a senior ALP figure but had failed to publish a story.</p> <p>“I mean Four Corners had evidence of behaviour of a senior Labor frontbencher that they have not put to air. They have not been put to air.</p> <p>“They’ve got a lot of evidence. Now, they give the usual reasons I gather on the grapevine that, “Oh, well there wasn’t quite enough.</p> <p>“Well, there wasn’t quite enough against Christian Porter. As they admitted the other day when they settled. And I take the view that Christian Porter did exceptionally well with this litigation. Because the ABC had to admit they were never able to prove this.”</p> <p>Sky Host Chris Kenny proceeded to accuse Mr Porter of rape, which is he denies, saying it was “disgusting stuff to put into the public arena.”</p> <p>Mr Kroger then ended the interview by again calling for Ms Buttrose to resign.</p> <p>“She’s a failure. She should resign. You can’t get everything right in life. Morrison has got pretty much everything else right. But this was a bad appointment by the Coalition cabinet.”</p> <p>“She’s been a hopeless failure. It’s more biased. This is like a train that has got no driver.”</p>

News

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"Shut up": Edwina Bartholomew sprays Meghan Markle

<p>Australian television host Edwina Bartholomew has urged Meghan Markle to “shut up” after news sources claimed to know why she was not attending Prince Philip’s funeral.</p> <p><span>Markle had not travelled to London because she “doesn’t want to be the centre of attention” at the service, her friends reportedly said.</span></p> <p>Channel 7’s<span> </span><em>Sunrise<span> </span></em>host Edwina Bartholomew told viewers: “That just really gets my goat.”</p> <p><br /><span>“I’ve reserved judgment about those two for quite some time, but if that is true, it just makes me so angry.</span><br /><br /><span>“I still liked Harry and Meghan, I just, I just feel I’ve turned now.”</span><br /><br /><span>A Buckingham Palace spokesman clarified that the pregnant Duchess of Sussex had been advised by her doctor not to travel to the UK for the funeral.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNgu3TunxP7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNgu3TunxP7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒈 (@duchesussex)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>However an alleged friend of the actress said the Duchess was worried she might steal the spotlight at the televised service.</span><br /><br /><span>Prince Philip’s funeral will be held in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on Saturday.</span><br /><br /><span>“Meghan said her main concern right now is supporting Harry. She said she left it up to him as to whether or not she would attend the funeral,” the friend reportedly told Mail Online.</span><br /><br /><span>Edwina Bartholomew said she wished Markle would “just shut up” while the royal family grieved the Duke of Edinburgh’s death.</span><br /><br /><span>“If she had gone, there would have been a lot of attention on her and it would have distracted I think,” she told viewers.</span><br /><br /><span>“But just for them to say that out loud … just go with the Palace line would you? For once!”</span><br /><br /><span>Prince Philip died aged 99 on April 9.</span><br /><br /></p>

TV

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Coles responds to bizarre "spray tan" egg theory

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Shoppers have come up with an interesting new theory about Coles-branded eggs having a brown colour that washes off under water.</p> <p>A curious shopper asked the supermarket if it was "doing something funky" with its eggs and posted a video with proof.</p> <p>the video shows an egg that appeared to be brown become a pale beige colour after being lightly rubbed under a running tap.</p> <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fcoles%2Fposts%2F3753259561404698&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=552&amp;height=735&amp;appId" width="552" height="735" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> <p>“Hey Coles, are you guys doing something funky with your eggs these days? They look like they have been given a spray tan that rubs off when you put them in warm water or boil them,” the woman wrote.</p> <p>“Before washing the residue off, all the eggs are a pretty standard brown colour. Once you wash them, they are rather different in colour compared to each other,” she explained.</p> <p>Another shopper agreed, saying that they've discovered this from their own "anecdotal evidence" that some sort of "artificial colouring may be happening".</p> <p>“Someone somewhere has decided that an even-toned brown egg somehow sells better. If that actually is the case, that is a new and special level of dumb,” they wrote.</p> <p>Coles has since responded to the claims to <a rel="noopener" href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/coles-responds-shoppers-bizarre-egg-theory-052558180.html" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink"><em>Yahoo News</em></a><em>.</em></p> <p>“Egg colour including white specks can be influenced by a number of factors including bird age, access to minerals in the range and access to additional calcium in their diet,” the spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia.</p> <p>“Our egg suppliers also sometimes use oil during the egg grading process to help seal the porous shell of the egg and preserve quality. The colouration on these eggs look to be a combination of the above effects.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

Food & Wine

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A chemical engineer explains: What makes pepper spray so intense? And is it a tear gas?

<p>In recent weeks, the world has looked on as governments use chemical irritants to control protesters and riots. Whether it’s tear gas, pepper spray, mace or pepper balls, all have one thing in common: they’re chemical weapons.</p> <p>Chemical warfare agents have been used twice in Sydney in the past week alone. Police <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-07/sydney-police-defend-pepper-spray-use-on-protesters/12330558">pepper-sprayed</a> demonstrators at Central Station, following Saturday’s major Black Lives Matter protest.</p> <p>The next day, tear gas <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-08/tear-gas-fired-into-exercise-yard-of-sydney-long-bay-jail/12332572">was used</a> to break up a fight at Long Bay jail, as prison guards filled an exercise yard with tear gas canisters – also impacting nearby residents.</p> <p>These events followed the deployment of <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/05/politics/park-police-tear-gas/index.html">chemical riot control agents</a> – specifically “pepper bombs” – in Washington DC last week. They were used to clear protesters from a public park so President Donald Trump could walk from the White House to a nearby church for a photo opportunity.</p> <p>The White House made a highlight reel to celebrate Trump’s heroic walk across the street for his bible photo op...</p> <p>US Attorney General William Barr said “<a href="https://www.factcheck.org/2020/06/the-continuing-tear-gas-debate/">there was no tear gas used</a>”, claiming “pepper spray is not a chemical irritant. It’s not chemical.”</p> <p>I’m a chemical engineer and chemist who studies chemicals in the environment. So I thought I’d clear the air about what makes pepper spray such a powerful chemical irritant, and a chemical weapon.</p> <p><strong>What’s inside pepper spray?</strong></p> <p>The active compounds in pepper spray are collectively known as capsaicinoids. They are given the military symbol OC, for “oleoresin capsicum”.</p> <p>The most important chemical in OC is capsaicin. This is derived from chilli peppers in a chemical process that dissolves and concentrates it into a liquid. Capsaicin is the same compound that makes chillies hot, but in an intense, weaponised form.</p> <p>Not all capsaicinoids are obtained naturally. One called nonivamide (also known as PAVA or pelargonic acid vanillylamide) is mostly made by humans. PAVA is an <a href="https://cot.food.gov.uk/committee/committee-on-toxicity/cotstatements/cotstatementsyrs/cotstatements2002/pavastatement">intense irritant</a> used in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/dec/09/pepper-spray-used-in-non-violent-situations-in-prison-pilot">artificial pepper spray</a>.</p> <p><strong>Is pepper spray a tear gas?</strong></p> <p>We’ve established pepper spray is a chemical, but is it also a kind of tear gas?</p> <p>“<a href="https://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/riotcontrol/factsheet.asp">Tear gas</a>” is an informal term and a bit of a misnomer, because it isn’t a gas. Rather, tear gas refers to any weaponised irritant used to immobilise people.</p> <p>More specifically, tear gas is often used to describe weapons that disperse their irritants in the air either as liquid aerosol droplets (such as <a href="https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/a28904691/how-tear-gas-works/">gas canisters</a>), or as a powder (such as pepper balls). This definition distinguishes tear gas from personal self-defence sprays which use foams, gels and liquids.</p> <p>Tear gas canisters typically contain the irritants 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (CS) and phenacyl chloride (CN). Both CS and CN are man-made chemicals discovered in a lab, unlike capsaicin (the traditional ingredient in pepper spray).</p> <p>But despite capsaicin coming from chilli peppers, pepper spray is still a weaponised irritant that can be delivered as an aerosol or powder. It should unequivocally be considered a type of tear gas.</p> <p><strong>Pepper spray as a weapon</strong></p> <p>The chemical irritants OC, CS and CN have military symbols because they are chemical weapons. They are termed “<a href="https://www.wbur.org/news/2020/06/10/rubber-bullets-protesters-victoria-snelgrove-boston">less-lethal</a>” because they are less likely to kill than conventional weapons. Their use, however, can still <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/judystone/2020/06/08/tear-gas-and-pepper-spray-can-maim-kill-and-spread-coronavirus/#47f17a2a725f">cause fatalities</a>.</p> <p>Technically, pepper spray and other tear gases are classified as lachrymatory agents. <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-tear-gas-139958">Lachrymatory agents</a> attack mucous membranes in the eyes and respiratory system.</p> <p>Pepper spray works almost instantly, forcing the eyes to close and flood with tears. Coupled with coughing fits and difficulty breathing, this means the targeted person is effectively <a href="https://healthland.time.com/2011/11/22/how-painful-is-pepper-spray/">blinded and incapacitated</a>. Because lachrymatory agents work on <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544263/">nerve receptors</a> that help us sense heat, they also induce an intense burning sensation.</p> <p>The combined effects of pepper spray can last anywhere from 15 minutes to more than an hour.</p> <p>Lachrymatory agents emerged on the <a href="https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/germans-introduce-poison-gas">battlefields of World War I</a>. Artillery shells were filled with chemicals such as <a href="https://www.compoundchem.com/2014/05/17/chemical-warfare-ww1/">xylyl bromide and chloroacetone</a> and fired at enemy soldiers. Agents that induce choking, blistering and vomiting were added as the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/10/science/chemical-weapons-world-war-1-armistice.html">chemical arms race</a> escalated.</p> <p>In the 1920s, the <a href="https://www.un.org/disarmament/wmd/bio/1925-geneva-protocol/">Geneva Protocol</a> was enacted to ban the use of indiscriminate and often ineffective chemical weapons on the battlefield. Today, the unjustified use of chemical riot control agents <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/04/201242913130963418.html">threatens to erode</a> the systems that are meant to protect us from the most dangerous weaponised chemicals.</p> <p><em>Written by Gabriel da Silva. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-makes-pepper-spray-so-intense-and-is-it-a-tear-gas-a-chemical-engineer-explains-140441">The Conversation.</a> </em></p>

Art

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Keep your nose out of it: why saliva tests could offer a better alternative to nasal COVID-19 swabs

<p>Saliva is one of our biggest foes in the COVID-19 pandemic, because of its role in spreading the virus. But it could be our friend too, because it potentially offers a way to diagnose the disease without using invasive nasal swabs.</p> <p>Our research review, <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/10/5/290">published in the journal Diagnostics</a>, suggests saliva could offer a readily accessible diagnostic tool for detecting the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and might even be able to reveal whether someone’s immune system has already encountered it.</p> <p>COVID-19 testing is a crucial part of the pandemic response, especially now countries are gradually lifting social distancing restrictions. This requires widespread, early, accurate and sensitive diagnosis of infected people, both with and without symptoms.</p> <p>Our review looked at the results of three different studies, in Hong Kong, the nearby Chinese mainland city of Shenzhen, and Italy. All three studies found SARS-CoV-2 is indeed present in the saliva of COVID-19 patients (at rates of 87%, 91.6%, and 100% of patients, respectively). This suggests saliva is a potentially very useful source of specimens for detecting the virus.</p> <p>Saliva <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016041202031254X">spreads the SARS-CoV-2 virus</a> via breathing, coughing, sneezing, and <a href="https://www.nap.edu/catalog/25769/rapid-expert-consultation-on-the-possibility-of-bioaerosol-spread-of-sars-cov-2-for-the-covid-19-pandemic-april-1-2020">conversation</a>, which is why guidelines suggest we maintain a distance of at least 1.5 metres from one another. We also know <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7094991/">SARS-CoV-2 can survive in tiny droplets of saliva</a> in an experimental setting.</p> <p>Saliva is an attractive option for detecting SARS-CoV-2, compared with the <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/coronavirus-covid-19-seeing-a-doctor-getting-tested-faqs#diagnosis">current tests</a> which involve taking swabs of mucus from the upper respiratory tract. Saliva is easy to access, which potentially makes the tests cheaper and less invasive. Saliva can hold up a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19726214">mirror to our health</a>, not just of our mouth but our whole body.</p> <p>For this reason, saliva has already been widely investigated as a diagnostic tool for chronic systemic diseases, as well as for oral ailments such as periodontal disease and oral cancers. But less attention has been given to its potential usefulness in acute infectious diseases such as COVID-19, perhaps because researchers and clinicians don’t yet appreciate its full potential.</p> <p><strong>What a mouthful</strong></p> <p>When we get sick, much of the evidence is present in our saliva – from the germs themselves, to the antibodies and immune system proteins we use to fight them off. Saliva also contains genetic material and other cellular components of pathogens after we have broken them down (for the full biochemical breakdown of the weird and wonderful things in our saliva, see pages 51-61 of our <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/10/5/290">review</a>).</p> <p>Saliva is also hardy. It can be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=High-yield+RNA-extraction+method+for+saliva">stored at –80℃ for several years with little degradation</a>.</p> <p>This means it would be relatively straightforward to track the progression of COVID-19 in individual patients, by collecting saliva at various times during the disease and recovery. Saliva tests from recovered patients could also tell us if they have encountered the disease for a second time, and how strong their immune response is.</p> <p>However, there is no research yet available on using saliva to monitor immune responses. This will be well worth investigating, given the pressing need for a reliable and cost-effective way to monitor the population for immunity to COVID-19 as the outbreak continues.</p> <p><strong>Could saliva testing replace nasal swabs?</strong></p> <p>An ideal saliva test would be a disposable, off-the-shelf device that could be used at home by individuals, without exposing them or others to the risk of visiting a clinic.</p> <p>One drawback with the research so far is that it has involved small numbers of patients (each of the three studies we reviewed involved no more than 25 people), and there is little published detail on exactly how these studies collected the saliva – whether from the mouth or throat, whether by spitting, drooling or swabbing, and whether collected by the patient or by a clinician.</p> <p>Nevertheless, based on the modest amount of research done so far, saliva looks like a promising candidate for COVID-19 testing. More research is now needed, in larger groups of people, to learn more about how to confidently test for SARS-CoV-2 in the saliva of both symptomatic and non-symptomatic people.</p> <p>Earlier this month the US Food and Drug Administration <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/08/health/fda-coronavirus-spit-test.html">approved the sale</a> of saliva-based COVID-19 test kits that will allow people to collect their own samples and send them to a lab for analysis.</p> <p>A reliable test would offer a cheaper, less invasive and potentially even more accurate way to detect the virus, which would also reduce the risk posed by routine COVID-19 checks to both patients and front-line medical professionals.</p> <p><em>Written by Pingping Han. Republished with permission of </em><a href="https://theconversation.com/keep-your-nose-out-of-it-why-saliva-tests-could-offer-a-better-alternative-to-nasal-covid-19-swabs-138816"><em>The Conversation.</em></a></p> <p><em> </em></p>

Legal

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Doctors uncover disgusting find in man’s unbearably blocked nose

<p>Zhang Binsheng, 30, went to the doctors after struggling to breathe for the last three months. His symptoms were so severe that he could not sleep properly at night and reported smelling “decay” out of one nostril.</p> <p>The doctors advised him to undergo an X-ray, where a shadow of ‘high density’ material was uncovered at the back of his nasal cavity.</p> <p>Zhang was left stunned when medics explained that it was his own tooth.</p> <p>“(It) looked a lot like a tooth,” Dr Bai Zhibang, a deputy director at the hospital’s ear, nose and throat department, told <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.pearvideo.com/video_1620810" target="_blank" title="www.pearvideo.com">Pear Video</a></em>.</p> <p>The tooth had been knocked out of Zhang’s mouth when he fell from the fourth floor of a mall at the age of ten and had managed to root and grow in his nasal cavity.</p> <p>This means that the tooth had been growing in Zhang’s nose for the last twenty years.</p> <p>Doctor Guo Longmei explained that the reason that the body hadn’t rejected the tooth was because it was Zhangs and not a ‘foreign object’.</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7832417/tooth-body.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/05204a0162064ff59685b602d25dcaea" /></p> <p>The tooth measured at 1cm and was removed from <span>Zhang’s nose in a 30-minute surgery. He is said to be recovering well.</span></p> <p>According to<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://metro.co.uk/2019/11/11/mans-blocked-nose-caused-tooth-growing-nostril-11080867/" target="_blank">Metro</a>,<span> </span></em>having a tooth growing inside your nose is considered to be rare, with less than 0.1 per cent of the population likely to be affected.</p>

Body

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Kyle bans Kochie for life: the moment Sandilands' on-air spray turned nasty

<p>Kyle Sandilands has launched a ferocious on-air attack on the hosts of Seven’s<span> </span><em>Sunrise</em>, banning them from ever making an appearance on<span> </span><em>The Kyle and Jackie O Show.</em></p> <p>The controversial radio star targeted Sam Armytage and David Koch after they both mocked a segment where Kyle and former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd appeared in during Friday’s episode of the morning program.</p> <p>The segment featured Sandilands and Rudd going head-to-head in a game of handball and was then broadcasted live on both T<em>he Kyle and Jackie O Show</em><span> </span>and<span> </span><em>Sunrise</em><span> </span>on Friday morning.</p> <p>As he started off his rant, Sandilands revealed that it was<span> </span><em>Sunrise</em><span> </span>who had approached the radio show when they heard the game was going forward.</p> <p>“We didn’t ask them to come and cover it, they asked us, ‘Can we cover it?’, and we said, ‘Sure’. They were very nice on the day – super nice,” said Sandilands, before playing audio of the<span> </span><em>Sunrise</em><span> </span>hosts discussing the handball match on-air on Friday.</p> <p>“I think I speak on behalf of all our viewers … we’re over that, I’d rather watch WW, what’s it called?” asked Armytage, clearly referring to WWE wrestling.</p> <p>“No, we’re going, see you later. I’d rather watch grass grow,” said Koch.</p> <p>But the comments didn’t go down well with Sandilands, who was seeing red.</p> <p>“They’re banned for life. Don’t beg to come and cover something and then s**t-can it, you pieces of s**t … you couple of old pieces of s**t,” he said.</p> <p>It was then that Jackie decided to interject, as she attempted to calm Kyle down by telling him they were just joking. But it didn’t have any effect.</p> <p>“I’m telling you what, I would rather be dead than watching that s**t show,” he said.</p> <p>“I reckon Kochie’s got the biggest, yellowest toenails you’ve ever seen! I can tell by looking at him. And I’m surprised that Samantha, who is so lovely when she comes in here, would be such a b**ch behind the scenes.”</p>

News

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Woolies slammed for selling spray-painted eucalyptus leaves for $12

<p>Woolworths is the go-to when it comes to bread, milk, veggies and the <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/2018/01/the-bird-that-cost-woolies-seventeen-thousand-dollars/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>rest of the weekly shop</strong></span></a> for millions of Australians. But if recent photos are anything to go by, the major supermarket is expanding its <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/food-wine/2018/01/woolworths-launches-new-hot-cross-bun-flavour/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>range in strange new directions</strong></span></a>.</p> <p>Photos appearing on the online forum <a href="https://www.reddit.com/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Reddit</strong></em></span></a>, show a Woolies outlet which has been selling bouquets of eucalyptus leaves that have been spray painted silver.</p> <p>The quality of the leaves, which are sold under the moniker of a “market day floral” bouquet, leaves a little to be desired, and Woolies is asking $12 a pop for each on.</p> <p>Close of photos of the bouquets reveal signs of poor quality with flakes of spray paint clearly peeling off, and many users on the online forum weren’t amused by Woolies.</p> <p><img width="500" height="558" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7266447/woolworths-in-text_500x558.jpg" alt="Woolworths -in -text"/></p> <p><em>Image credit: Reddit</em></p> <p>“That is incredibly s*** ... there's nothing floral about 'em,” one person wrote.</p> <p>“Maybe someone nicked all the flowers,” another shared.</p> <p>“What a rip off. I spray paint my own gum leaves for way cheaper than that,” someone posted. </p> <p>What are your thoughts? Do you think the people online are being a little too hard on Woolworths? Or should the major supermarket lift its game? </p> <p><em>Hero image credit: Reddit </em></p>

Retirement Income

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Your grandkids will love spray chalk – here’s how to make it

<p>When you’re a little kid, there’s not much that beats the fun of using coloured chalk to draw on the road or footpath outside your house. Parents and grandparents love it, too, because the mess is kept outside the house, and washes away next time it rains.</p><p>Well, to take this favourite summer past time to a new level, we’ve got a simple recipe for DIY liquid chalk you can make in a spray bottle. Your grandkids will love the novelty of seeing colours squirt out, and using the bottles will help their fine motor skills as they adjust their aim and pressure on the nozzle.</p><p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">You will need:</span></strong></p><ul><li>Spray bottles</li><li>Cornflour</li><li>Baking soda</li><li>Food colouring or washable watercolours</li></ul><p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p><ol><li>Fill spray bottles about one-third full with equal amounts of baking soda and cornflour. Give the bottle a shake to mix them thoroughly.</li><li>Add a few drops of the colouring you’re using.</li><li>Fill the rest of the bottle with very warm water and stir using a butter knife, paintbrush, or similar.</li><li>Put the lids on and give the bottles a good shake to make sure none of the cornflour has settled at the bottom.</li></ol><p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Extra fun:</span></strong></p><p>For a little more excitement, you can give the kids some spray bottles filled with vinegar to spray on their artwork when they’re finished. It will make the spray chalk “erupt” and fizz!</p><p><a href="/lifestyle/diy/2015/01/art-and-craft-for-grandkids/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Here are more art and craft projects you can try with your grandchildren.</strong></span></a></p>

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