--- title: "Subscribers" description: "CBRNe World provides those tasked with defending against CBRN and IED threats with the essential practical, scientific and political information. Access the current and previous issues of the magazine by registering as a member." url: "https://cbrneworld.com/news/subscribers?start=975" date: "2026-07-31T10:54:38+00:00" language: "en-GB" --- [![](https://cbrneworld.com/images/News-Images/Argon_UDR-14_uGy_HR.jpg#thumbnail=%2C&srcset=1)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1517:udr-13-and-udr-14-radiation-training-simulators-from-argon&catid=12) ## [UDR-13 and UDR-14 radiation training simulators from Argon](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1517:udr-13-and-udr-14-radiation-training-simulators-from-argon&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 07 February 2020. Thanks to a combination of Argon’s wealth of simulation experience and our relationship with Mirion, the look, feel and response of the UDR-13 and UDR-14 radiation training simulators is extremely close to that of actual detectors. The UDR-13 and UDR-14 simulators responds to Radsim electromagnetic sources that safely simulate ionizing radiation eliminating regulatory, environmental, and health and safety concerns for you and your students. You can use the simulation sources in the open or within buildings. To find out more head to [Argon's website](https://www.argonelectronics.com/udr-13-udr-14-simulator?utm_campaign=UDR-13%20UDR-14%20Simulator&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=82923267&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8_aIVRB4-b9M9OdeC6FwnxMJnM3McqpcLSRfDLrwcoy4yNnCwc2zYCJ8mydcdfLakuuJqwoG4FyNWWNNQh6Nm2eRT_duE5lu9JP_oE97mp385B9e4&_hsmi=82923267) where you can download full product sheets. [Equipment](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/equipment), [Radiation](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/radiation), [Training](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/training) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/images/News-Images/Argon_RadEye_GF-10_mSv_HR.png#thumbnail=%2C&srcset=1)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1516:argon-releases-radeye-gf-10-sim-radiation-training-simulator&catid=12) ## [Argon releases RadEye GF-10 SIM radiation training simulator](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1516:argon-releases-radeye-gf-10-sim-radiation-training-simulator&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 07 February 2020. The newest addition to the Argon Electronics (UK) Ltd. stable of radiation training simulators, the RadEye GF-10 SIM, promises to take the authenticity, repeatability and effectiveness of gamma radiation safety training to a new level. **High impact gamma radiation training** The development of the RadEye SIM has been a collaborative effort - combining Argon's wealth of experience in the design and manufacture of simulation technology with ThermoFisher's reputation as a world leader in the development of advanced handheld instruments for radiation detection. A key differentiator of the RadEye SIM is that it responds to a Radsim electromagnetic source that more realistically recreates the behavior and characteristics of ionizing radiation. To ensure high impact radiation training, all the key user interface components (display, indicators, switch panel, sounder, vibrator etc.) have been recreated exactly as they appear on the real RadEye high range gamma survey meter. The simulator's response speed and characteristics, when approaching or withdrawing from a simulation source, is also identical to that of the actual RadEye survey meter, enabling instructors to add even greater authenticity to their source search/find training exercises. Simulated sensitivity means that the simulator can detect the Radsim GS4 simulation gamma source at a free space distance of typically 60 metres / 200 feet distance line of sight. The implementation of powerful proprietary signal processing means that all simulated readings are consistently repeatable every time a student revisits the same scenario location. The effects of user body shielding are also realistically simulated to ensure survey teams understand how to use, and interpret, their detector readings and alarms. Also listed among the RadEye SIM's key simulation features are: - extremely realistic inverse square law response that is within real detector tolerance - highly realistic representation of the different effects of shielding - easily selectable units of measurement - dose and dose rate alarm settings - language selection - configurable menu settings - a user interface that replicates the look and feel of the real RadEye The RadEye SIM is fully compatible with Argon's Live Field and Tabletop CBRNe exercise system, PlumeSIM, which is currently in use by many of the world's leading radiation training facilities. With the release of Argon's RadEye GF-10 SIM, there is the opportunity for radiation safety trainers and trainees to create, and experience, a learning environment that is highly realistic, consistent and repeatable. Further simulation versions of the Thermo RadEye are planned. RadEye is a trade mark of Thermo Fisher Scientific. [Equipment](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/equipment), [Radiation](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/radiation), [Training](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/training) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/templates/yootheme/cache/a6/fake-1903774_640-a69fa10a.png)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1514:claims-that-chinese-scientists-stole-coronavirus-from-winnipeg-lab-have-no-factual-basis&catid=12) ## [Claims that Chinese scientists stole coronavirus from Winnipeg lab have 'no factual basis'](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1514:claims-that-chinese-scientists-stole-coronavirus-from-winnipeg-lab-have-no-factual-basis&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 30 January 2020. Story from cbc.ca The Public Health Agency of Canada is denying any connection between the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg, two scientists who were escorted out of the building last summer, and the coronavirus outbreak in China. Baseless stories claiming that the two scientists are Chinese spies and that they smuggled the coronavirus to China's only Level 4 lab in Wuhan last year have been spreading on all major social media platforms and on conspiracy theorist blogs. One article from a conspiracy blog was shared more than 6,000 times on Facebook on Monday. The story even made its way on Chinese-owned social media app TikTok, where a video pushing these claims was watched more than 350,000 times. "This is misinformation and there is no factual basis for claims being made on social media," Eric Morrissette, chief of media relations for Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada said in response to queries by CBC News. The conspiracy theory seems to be based on a distorted reading of [reporting from CBC News published last summer](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/chinese-researcher-escorted-from-infectious-disease-lab-amid-rcmp-investigation-1.5211567). One of the first mentions occurred Saturday on Twitter, where businessman Kyle Bass claimed that "a husband and wife Chinese spy team were recently removed from a Level 4 Infectious Disease facility in Canada for sending pathogens to the Wuhan facility." In the tweet, which was shared over 12,000 times, he linked to a story CBC News broke in July, revealing that a researcher, her husband, and some of their graduate students, were escorted out of the National Microbiology Lab (NML) in Winnipeg amid an RCMP investigation into what's being described as a possible "policy breach" and "administrative matter." The RCMP and Health Canada have both stressed that there was no danger for public safety. CBC reporting never claimed the two scientists were spies, or that they brought any version of the coronavirus to the lab in Wuhan. Experts say the disinformation is creating a "social panic" online. "We've seen already on Twitter and Reddit and other platforms that there have been calls to ban travellers from China from entering North American or Europe — that there have been individuals targeted to be supposedly pulled off flights or stopped at the Canadian border or the U.S. border," says Fuyuki Kurasawa, director of the Global Digital Citizenship Lab at York University. "The broader damage is that there grows a mistrust toward both government authorities, public health officials, the media, authoritative sources of media, and there there becomes a social media environment where speculation, rumour and conspiracy theories take over and wash out the factual information that is being promoted online." Kurasawa is already seeing that spread from the online world to the real world. "Individuals will take it on themselves to become vigilantes, where they'll try to spot someone who supposedly is either holding the truth about some hidden truth about the coronavirus or a person who may be a carrier or supposed carrier of the virus because they appear to have certain symptoms, and then they'll ask the general public to take matters into own hands," he says. **Kernels of truth in disinformation** Dr. Xiangguo Qiu is a medical doctor and virologist from Tianjin, China, who came to Canada for graduate studies in 1996. Qiu is still affiliated with the university there and has brought in many students over the years to help with her work. She helped develop ZMapp, a treatment for the deadly Ebola virus which killed more than 11,000 people in West Africa between 2014-2016. Her husband Keding Cheng works at the Winnipeg lab as a biologist. He has published research papers on HIV infections, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), E. coli infections and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. One month later, CBC discovered that scientists at the NML [sent live Ebola and Henipah viruses to Beijing ](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/ebola-henipah-china-1.5232674)on an Air Canada flight March 31. The Public Health Agency of Canada says all federal policies were followed. PHAC will not confirm if the March 31 shipment is part of the RCMP investigation. Contrary to posts on Twitter, the coronavirus was not part of this shipment. And there is no confirmation Qiu or Cheng were the scientists behind the shipment. In another followup story using travel documents obtained in Access to Information requests, CBC reported that [Qiu made at least five trips to China](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/national-microbiology-lab-scientist-investigation-china-1.5307424) in 2017-18, including one to train scientists and technicians at China's newly certified Level 4 lab. She was invited to visit the Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences twice a year for two years, for up to two weeks each time. The lab does research with the most deadly pathogens. PHAC has denied any connection between the RCMP investigation, Qiu's visits to Wuhan or any Canadian research, with the coronavirus outbreak. However, PHAC would not comment on the current status of Qiu and Cheng, citing privacy reasons. **Communicate more effectively** Heidi Tworek, assistant professor in international history at the University of British Columbia, says governments and public health authorities need to do a better job of communicating facts at times like this, including in the languages of the communities impacted. "It's incredibly challenging during fast-moving outbreaks of any disease to balance between information to keep the public safe and prevent something from becoming a massive epidemic and also trying to provide truthful information and also providing enough so you don't end up with a vacuum, which is where disinformation can flourish," Tworek says. "We've seen in previous outbreaks it's been difficult to get this right, but I'd emphasize this is actually a crucial element of what we need to be thinking about into the future — how do we actually communicate well and swiftly with general public with all types of health scares? This will not be the last time we face disinformation during a potential epidemic." [Threat](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/threat), [Biological](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/biological) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/templates/yootheme/cache/c4/NUI_Galway-c4ddfdff.png)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1513:irish-innovation-in-wipes-and-masks-could-help-battle-emerging-coronavirus-crisis&catid=12) ## [Irish Innovation in Wipes and Masks Could Help Battle Emerging Coronavirus Crisis](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1513:irish-innovation-in-wipes-and-masks-could-help-battle-emerging-coronavirus-crisis&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 30 January 2020. *“What we have developed is like a living Velcro that removes and traps pathogens”* Nature-inspired wipes and masks which could capture and trap the Wuhan Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) are being developed by scientists at the Irish company Aquila Bioscience. This technology can be used by front-line personnel and civilians under risk of exposure as prophylactic measure to reduce viral transmission in places of contact such as hospitals and transportation hubs. The start-up, based at NUI Galway, has developed a chemical-free strategy that effectively removes bacteria, viruses, fungi and biological toxins from surfaces. Positive results have been achieved against a number of pathogens in a laboratory setting. The wipes have been under development for almost two years with the specific aim of not only removing pathogens from surfaces but also ‘trapping’ them within the material so prevent them spreading and so help effective disposal. In addition, the solution is non-toxic so can be used on human skin, mucosal surfaces and wounds. The development of this technology was funded by the European Defence Agency and was conducted in collaboration with the Irish Defence Forces and the Czech University of Defence. “What we have developed is like a living Velcro at nanoscale. All cells are coated with proteins and complex carbohydrates. Every cell-to-cell relationship is ruled by interactions between these carbohydrates and proteins. We are tapping into this interaction by infusing our wipes with specific proteins and carbohydrates to which the pathogens bind – and stick,” explains Professor Lokesh Joshi, co-founder and director of Aquila Bioscience, and Vice-President for Research and Innovation at NUI Galway. Nature has been experimenting for millions of years to find solutions against infectious diseases, explains Professor Joshi who is also Director of the Glycoscience Research Group at NUI Galway. “There is an ingenious manner by which nature protects us from infectious microbes and most biological toxins which have carbohydrates and proteins on their surfaces. In nature, humans and animals produce, milk, urine and saliva/mucus full of specific proteins and carbohydrates that bind to the pathogens to protect us from most of the pathogens we encounter on a daily basis.” Currently all of the available decontamination strategies include artificial chemicals for example bleach, calcium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide. These strategies destroy biological agents, but are toxic, harmful to human beings and not safe for use on human surfaces (i.e skin). In addition, the use of conventional decontamination solutions can lead to recurrent infection and can interfere with forensic evidence due to their destructive nature and cannot be used for routine use as prophylactic purpose. Aquila Bioscience technology can deliver safe and effective decontamination that can be routinely used on sensitive areas like skin, nose, eyes and mucosa, where other methods are either not safe or cause skin reactions. It is also totally non-toxic and composed of biodegradable materials in contrast to the damaging environmental impact of chemically based solutions and the major problems caused by non-recyclable wipes in the environment. Aquila Bioscience continues to collaborate with the Irish Defence Forces, with their needs to be prepared against biothreat agents. This collaboration has also brought the technology to the attention of other national and international security and humanitarian agencies who have expressed strong interest in using the technology to protect first-responders and affected people. “Our true hope it that this may indeed be an effective, safe and environmentally safe method to protect people from the potentially deadly pathogens they might encounter,” concluded Professor Joshi. [Threat](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/threat), [Protection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/protection), [Biological](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/biological) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/component/ajax/?p=image&src=%7B%22file%22%3A%22images%2FNews-Images%2FEpiShuttle.png%22%2C%22thumbnail%22%3A%22%2C%22%7D&hash=93261bf4)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1512:new-coronavirus-may-be-a-preview-of-who-s-disease-x&catid=12) ## [New Coronavirus may be a preview of WHO’s disease X ](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1512:new-coronavirus-may-be-a-preview-of-who-s-disease-x&catid=12) Written by Gwyn Winfield on 29 January 2020. *Preparedness at all levels are necessary – EpiShuttle, the only isolation unit approved for transport on air, sea and road – contributes to safer transport and handling of highly infectious patients.* EpiGuard was founded in 2015, based on experiences from the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014. A team of medical specialists from Oslo University Hospital were responsible for treatment and transportation of patients, including an Ebola-patient repatriated to Norway. In the emergency response work on the epidemic, they identified the need for new and improved equipment for transporting patients with high-risk infections. The result was EpiShuttle, developed together with Eker Design, focusing on patient and caregiver safety, patient comfort and improved medical treatment options. *“Our aim is to save the patient and increase protection of healthcare professionals and the environments.” Said Ellen Cathrine Andersen, CEO, EpiGuard* **There are three main benefits of the EpiShuttle:** 1. Patient Safety and Care 2. Safety of Health Care Professional 3. Cost and Operational Efficiency The EpiShuttle is a single-patient isolation and transport system, designed to provide maximum patient safety and comfort while allowing critical care and treatment to be performed. The EpiShuttle can protect the environment from an infected patient or protect a vulnerable patient from a contaminated environment. The protection consists of two elements: A robust and completely sealed barrier between the patient and the surrounding environment, and a pressure difference that will prohibit leakage. The unique design allows patient monitoring and full intensive care treatment to be performed during transport, including emergency procedures like intubation and insertion of central venous catheters. With the use of EpiShuttle, the need for disinfection of ambulances, helicopters or airplanes is reduced, and there will be less disruption of service. For airport preparedness, in case of passenger arrival with a suspected highly infectious disease, the EpiShuttle provides a solution both for temporary isolation, and transport to hospital.The Epishuttle is sold to several countries in Europe, as well as Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Namibia, and is donated through Norwegian MOH to WHO in Congo and Uganda. *“The new opportunity to isolate patients will have a significant impact on the working environment for rescuers, nurses and doctors,”* said the head of Health Preparedness Department in Region Midtjylland. The prehospital department in the region is working closely with the Aarhus University Hospital to develop a competence and education center for handling and transport of patients with infectious diseases such as SARS, MERS, Ebola and pneumonic plague. [![](https://cbrneworld.com/templates/yootheme/cache/e0/Mosquito-e0beeb3d.jpeg)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1510:first-human-trial-of-monoclonal-antibody-to-prevent-malaria-opens&catid=12) ## [First human trial of monoclonal antibody to prevent malaria opens](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1510:first-human-trial-of-monoclonal-antibody-to-prevent-malaria-opens&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 29 January 2020. Story from [NIH ](https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/first-human-trial-monoclonal-antibody-prevent-malaria-opens) A Phase 1 clinical trial testing the safety and effectiveness of a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against malaria has begun enrolling healthy adult volunteers at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. The trial, sponsored by NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), is the first to test mAb CIS43LS in humans. It aims to enroll up to 73 volunteers aged 18 through 50 years old who have never had malaria. After receiving mAb CIS43LS, most of the volunteers will be exposed to malaria parasite-carrying mosquitoes under carefully controlled conditions at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda to assess the ability of the mAb to confer protection from malaria infection. “If proven safe and effective in this study and in larger trials, this monoclonal antibody might be used prophylactically by tourists, medical workers or military personnel who travel to areas where malaria is common,” said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. “In the absence of a highly effective, long-lasting vaccine, preventing malaria infections for several months with a single dose of monoclonal antibody also could be valuable in specific parts of Africa where malaria cases increase greatly during annual rainy seasons,” he added. Several years ago, Robert Seder, M.D., and colleagues at NIAID’s Vaccine Research Center (VRC) isolated an antibody (CIS43) from the blood of a volunteer who had received an investigational vaccine made from whole, weakened malaria parasites. When tested in two different mouse models of malaria infection, CIS43 was highly effective at preventing infection by the deadliest malaria parasite, *Plasmodium falciparum*, [the team reported in 2018](https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/newly-described-human-antibody-prevents-malaria-mice). Modifications to CIS43 yielded mAb CIS43LS, which lasts longer in the blood than the original antibody. CIS43LS was manufactured for clinical use by the VRC’s investigational product Vaccine Production Program and the NIAID-funded Vaccine Clinical Material Program of Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., under a contract to the National Cancer Institute’s Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research. In the new trial, one group of volunteers will receive a single dose of CIS43LS at 5 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of body weight as an injection under the skin. Patients in other groups will receive a single dose of the mAb intravenously at one of a series of escalating dosages (5, 20, or 40 mg/kg of body weight.) Most of the study volunteers will then take part in a controlled human malaria infection, which will occur between 10 days and 10 weeks after CIS43LS administration. Volunteers will be exposed via mosquito bites to a strain of malaria parasite (*P. falciparum 3D7*) that is readily curable with two standard anti-malarial medications. Close and frequent monitoring of volunteers after challenge will include use of the most sensitive test for detection of early malaria infection, so that drug therapy can begin promptly and continue until the infection is cured in any volunteers who become infected. Infection may be detected and treated even before symptoms occur. Volunteers who do not develop infection will nevertheless receive a short course of anti-malarial medication 28 days after the challenge. “In addition to acquiring data about the safety and tolerability mAb CIS43LS, we will also gather data about the blood levels of this mAb that are associated with protection from malaria, which may allow us to determine optimum dosage levels needed to achieve clinical protection from infection,” said the trial’s principal investigator, VRC scientist Martin Gaudinski, M.D. [Protection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/protection), [Biological](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/biological), [R&D](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/r-d) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/images/News-Images/block_mems_logo.png#thumbnail=%2C&srcset=1)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1509:block-mems-awarded-phase-iii-of-15-1-million-iarpa-contract-to-detect-explosives-drugs-and-other-threats&catid=12) ## [Block MEMS Awarded Phase III of $15.1 Million IARPA Contract to Detect Explosives, Drugs and other Threats](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1509:block-mems-awarded-phase-iii-of-15-1-million-iarpa-contract-to-detect-explosives-drugs-and-other-threats&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 28 January 2020. Block MEMS, LLC (Block) has been selected for Phase III of an Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) program for the standoff detection of trace and bulk quantities of drugs such as fentanyl, explosives, chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and toxic chemicals. Block is the only contractor selected for Phase III of the effort. The IARPA program is called "Standoff Illuminator for Measuring Absorbance and Reflectance Infrared Light Signatures" (SILMARILS). With the recent $5.5 million Phase III award the total contract value of the Block effort is now at $15.1 million. The SILMARILS program is an IARPA effort, and the contract is executed by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Under previous Phases, Block successfully demonstrated the ability of hyperspectral imaging using its eye-safe proprietary quantum cascade lasers to detect and map out the location of trace quantities of chemicals on a wide variety of surfaces at standoff distances of up to 25 meters. Furthermore, measurements could be made at high speeds, within a few seconds. The goal of Phase III is to develop stand-off chemical detection capabilities with automated real-time processing that are suitable for three different applications: Long-range standoff for distances up to 30 meters that can be used to screen vehicles, outdoor surfaces, clothing, or other items; Moving targets to addresses the need to detect trace chemicals while objects are moving – e.g., for screening packages moving on a conveyor or for detecting CWAs on the ground in front of military vehicles; and Close-range that addresses the need for a compact system (potentially handheld) that can operate at a close-range of less than 5 meters. Dr. Anish Goyal, Block's VP of Technology and Principal Investigator of the effort commented, "We are very pleased to receive the third Phase award of the SILMARILS Program based on successful achievements in the prior program phases which included testing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the Indy 500. The ability to detect most chemicals, including CWAs, Explosives, and Pharmaceutical Based Agents at these standoff distances is addressing a strong need within the Intelligence Community, the Defense Department and the Department of Homeland Security." Mr. Al Weggeman, Block's President, added, "This is a great opportunity to partner with IARPA and AFRL in the creation of much needed technologies that address stand-off chemical and gas detection capabilities and CONOPs. We are resolved to provide protective capabilities to first responders, military, and the public in general." [Detection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/detection), [CBRNe](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/cbrne), [R&D](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/r-d) ## [Acid decon](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1508:acid-decon&catid=12) Written by Gwyn Winfield on 28 January 2020. Acid attacks have a relatively long history. They are considered to be a modern phenomenon, but in reality they are a re-discovered attack methodology. They became ‘fashionable’ in the late 19th Century, when *vitrioleuse* or acid throwers, were in the newspapers. Largely women that had been jilted or spurned by their male ‘admirers,’ they sought revenge by throwing acid in the face of the man or his new paramour. It became an attack of the weak against the strong and fascinated enough people to become *fin de siècle* art that would eventually be sold in Walmart ([](https://www.walmart.com/ip/La-Vitrioleuse-Vintage-Poster-artist-Eugene-Grasset-c-1894-9x12-Art-Print-Wall-Decor-Travel-Poster/101745471)). The allure of acid attacks can also be found in the 1930s criminal underworld. It is a significant plot device in Graham Greene’s *Brighton Rock* ([](https://www.litcharts.com/lit/brighton-rock/terms/vitriol)) but it is only in the past couple of decades that it has really become fashionable again. As opposed to a weapon for the weak, it has now become another device for the subjugation of women and is frequently used in ‘honour attacks’ ([](https://indicanews.com/2020/01/10/india-reports-300-acid-attacks-in-a-year/)). In addition to these it has also been used in countries like the UK by criminals in petty robberies. Gun laws in the UK are such that it is difficult to do a ‘stick up’ for someone’s mobile phone, so the ability to threaten or maim with a small quantity of acid has become relatively common ([](https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/london-is-acid-attack-hotspot-of-western-world-with-victims-as-young-as-10-a4222921.html)). As such there is an urgent need to be able to improve the response to these, especially in terms of healthcare and first response. Professor Robert Chilcott, of the [Centre for Research into Topical Drug Delivery and Toxicology](http://researchprofiles.herts.ac.uk/portal/en/organisations/centre-for-research-into-topical-drug-delivery-and-toxicology(37a193dc-d13e-4a50-8ef4-8e4dbf308dae).html) at the University of Hertfordshire, has been tasked with trying to find improvements in decontamination of victims. “Last year, there was a 40% increase in the number of recorded cases of acid attacks. All the evidence that we have and most of the available guidance says if you have nothing else, do dry decon but ideally wet decon. There was no evidence to back that up, so we thought let's use our abilities to get to the bottom of this. We did a mechanistic study to start with, where we exposed skin for different times to sulfuric acids to see what the damage would be. We started off with 30 minutes and after that’s there's not much left of the skin. So, we went to 15 minutes and got exactly the same results, and then 10 minutes, and then five minutes… eventually we got down to about 10 seconds.” “The window of opportunity for decon for sulfuric acid is extremely small. It's less than 10 seconds and that's the time that would take to find a bottle of water and take the lid off. We did find that if you can do it either immediately or within that 10 second timeframe, you can significantly reduce damage, but it's a significant reduction of a huge amount. It looks like dry decon is contraindicated for this particular application as it removed the skin, so we need to treat it with a degree of caution. What you're actually doing, however, is removing the dead tissue, a process known as debridement. A lot of burns studies have shown debridement might actually be therapeutic, but we can't say for definite whether this is true because our test system is basically dead skin that can't rejuvenate itself in any way. To take this research forward, we'd have to move into an animal model or a very advanced 3-D cell culture level.” As you might imagine there is a lot of concern over using animal models in a study that is going to cause distress and would be hugely expensive. Currently no funding organisation has stepped up to do that. Considering how much acid there is used not only in academia but also in commercial applications it is surprising that there hasn’t been a bespoke product designed for this that could be re-purposed for paramedics. An impregnated blotter that can be quickly applied to the area and start to neutralise the acid. Professor Chilcott said not, that the speed of response in areas where exposure was likely meant that simple solutions were appropriate. “You'd be as well off with a bottle of saline, which is standard issue to paramedics, rather than a bespoke system; and it's a lot cheaper! You don't need something fancy with nano particles and ultra-absorbent polymers in order to get rid of what you can from the skin surface when you can just rinse it through with water. We're going to have to do more work on this, but we were moving towards the idea that if somebody has been splashed with acid you could use your clothes to try and remove as much as you can, while you're trying to find a source of water. We did do some studies with clothing, and we find that if you rub early enough, you can significantly reduce the overall injury by using clothing.” The UK guidance for acid attacks (and other situations) is remove, remove, remove ([](https://naru.org.uk/remove-remove-remove-refreshed-ior-messaging-is-released-by-naru/)) and as the individual disrobes there would likely be unaffected areas of the clothing that could quickly be used to dab away the acid. This could also, however, move the acid to unaffected areas of skin and burn them. Does Professor Chilcott see this use of clothes to reduce contaminations as something that is promoted to the general public or to trained paramedics? “When we've finished the study, we'll be in a better position to make recommendations to the UK government on the current data. We may suggest that, if you have nothing else, use unaffected areas of clothing, because then at least you're doing something rather than nothing. Given the extreme timescales that the acid is causing the damage, rather than wait 20 seconds to get water, if you can remove most of it with clothing you'll be doing a better job than waiting around.” The extremely short response times will inevitably mean that immediate first aid will have to be given by the general public. As such there is little that can be expected in terms of specialist training or equipment. Considering the pain of the attack it is also going to be difficult to approach the victim and get to the affected area to provide assistance. Decontamination of acid attacks is going to remain problematic, and likely to have to shift towards specialised medical response rather than first response. Meanwhile Professor Chilcott and his team are looking at using their new exposure facility, which allows training and testing for a variety of climates and response to acid attacks will have to wait for a game changer. [![](https://cbrneworld.com/templates/yootheme/cache/37/TB-37f3c267.jpeg)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1507:gsk-licenses-tuberculosis-vaccine-candidate-to-the-bill-melinda-gates-medical-research-institute-for-continued-development&catid=12) ## [GSK licenses tuberculosis vaccine candidate to the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute for continued development](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1507:gsk-licenses-tuberculosis-vaccine-candidate-to-the-bill-melinda-gates-medical-research-institute-for-continued-development&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 27 January 2020. - The M72/AS01E tuberculosis vaccine candidate demonstrated in a phase IIb trial the potential to reduce active pulmonary TB by half in adults with latent TB infection. - Developing a new vaccine against TB is a global health priority to accelerate progress toward ending the TB epidemic and one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. - The licensing agreement is a significant step forward to continue the development of the vaccine candidate for low-income countries with high TB burdens. Today, GSK announced that it has licensed its M72/AS01E tuberculosis disease (TB) vaccine candidate to the Gates MRI, paving the way for continued development and potential use of the vaccine candidate in low-income countries with high TB burdens. Dr. Thomas Breuer, Chief Medical Officer of GSK Vaccines, commented: “At GSK, we are very proud to have developed a TB vaccine candidate which has shown promising clinical trial results in adolescents and adults where the need to combat the TB epidemic is greatest. We are delighted to announce this ambitious collaboration to enable key partners to further build on and progress our scientific innovation.” There is no approved vaccine capable of preventing pulmonary TB disease in adolescents and adults, who accounted for 89% of people who fell ill with TB in 2018. The live attenuated vaccine, Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), has been in use for nearly a century, and while it is effective in preventing severe TB disease in infants and young children, it provides limited protection against pulmonary TB in adolescents and adults. TB is the world’s deadliest infectious disease, with 10 million new cases and 1.5 million deaths in 2018 alone. The burden of disease is concentrated with over 97% of reported TB cases occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Recently published [final results of a phase IIb trial](https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1909953) in South Africa, Kenya and Zambia conducted in partnership with IAVI showed that M72/AS01E had an acceptable safety profile and reduced cases of TB in HIV-negative adults with latent TB infections by half. The Gates MRI will lead vaccine candidate development and sponsor future clinical trials. GSK will provide the AS01 adjuvant for this development programme. Philip Thomson, President, Global Affairs at GSK, said: “Today’s new agreement signals a new and exciting phase in our efforts to improve global public health through medical innovation. For us, this type of alliance means we can take a more sustainable approach to global health, focussing our efforts and expertise on science and research, while partnering with others to ensure their development and delivery. **About the vaccine candidate** The M72/AS01E vaccine candidate contains the M72 recombinant fusion protein, derived from two *Mycobacterium tuberculosis* antigens (Mtb32A and Mtb39A), combined with the Adjuvant System AS01. The vaccine candidate has been developed by GSK in conjunction with IAVI. Funding for research which uncovered the potential of M72 was provided by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), the Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS) in the Netherlands, the Australian Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the European Commission and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. [Protection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/protection), [Biological](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/biological), [R&D](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/r-d) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/images/News-Images/inovio-logo-color.png#thumbnail=%2C&srcset=1)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1506:cepi-grants-9m-to-inovio-to-develop-coronavirus-vaccine&catid=12) ## [CEPI grants $9M to Inovio to develop coronavirus vaccine](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1506:cepi-grants-9m-to-inovio-to-develop-coronavirus-vaccine&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 24 January 2020. Inovio Pharmaceuticals, USA has announced the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has awarded Inovio a grant of up to $9 million to develop a vaccine against the recently emerged strain of coronavirus (2019-nCoV). This initial CEPI funding will support Inovio's preclinical and clinical development through Phase 1 human testing of INO-4800, its new coronavirus vaccine matched to the outbreak strain. CEPI previously awarded Inovio a grant of up to $56 million for the development of vaccines against Lassa fever and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), also caused by a coronavirus. Inovio's participation in this developing effort is based on the ideal suitability of its DNA medicine platform to rapidly develop a vaccine against an emerging virus with pandemic potential, proven vaccine development capabilities and a strong track record of rapidly generating promising countermeasures against previous pandemic threats. Inovio was the first to advance its vaccine (INO-4700) against MERS-CoV, a related coronavirus, into evaluation in humans. Inovio is currently preparing to initiate a Phase 2 vaccine trial for INO-4700 in the Middle East where most MERS viral outbreaks have occurred. In a recently published paper in Lancet Infectious Diseases, Inovio's Phase 1 study of its MERS-CoV vaccine demonstrated it was well tolerated and furthermore induced high levels of antibody responses in roughly 95% of subjects, while also generating broad-based T cell responses in nearly 90% of study participants. Durable antibody responses to INO-4700 were also maintained through 60 weeks following dosing. Richard Hatchett, CEPI's CEO, said, "Given the rapid global spread of the 2019-nCoV virus the world needs to act quickly and in unity to tackle this disease. Our intention with this work is to leverage our work with Inovio on the MERS coronavirus and rapid response platform to speed up vaccine development." Dr. J. Joseph Kim, Inovio's President & CEO said, "We're extremely honored to expand our partnership with CEPI to tackle this new threat to global public health. Our DNA medicine platform represents the best modern day approach to combatting emerging pandemics. We have already demonstrated positive clinical outcomes with our vaccine against MERS-CoV, another coronavirus. Importantly, following the Zika viral infection outbreak, Inovio and our partners developed a vaccine that went from bench to human testing in just seven months – the fastest vaccine development on record in recent decades. We believe we can further improve upon this accelerated timeline to meet the current challenge of the emerging coronavirus 2019-nCoV." Inovio's collaborators in this coronavirus vaccine development include the Wistar Institute, VGXI, a fully owned subsidiary of GeneOne Life Science and Twist Bioscience. [Threat](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/threat), [Protection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/protection), [Medical Countermeasure](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/medical-countermeasure) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/templates/yootheme/cache/58/Elmon-58c92547.jpeg)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1505:elmon-release-cbrn-suit&catid=12) ## [Elmon Release CBRN Suit](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1505:elmon-release-cbrn-suit&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 24 January 2020. Elmon is a leading manufacture of Ballistic (bulletproof) protection. For the last five years Elmon have been working on developing and adding CBRN suits to be included with its products, and are proud about the launching their very own CBRN protection suite with respirator, boots and gloves, manufactured in Athens, Greece. The suit is compliant to NATO, EN, ISO and Finabel standards and Elmon is now supplying CBRN suits in over 30 different countries. A press release from Elmon states "Our suit offers improved protection against Mustard and soman agents. Its design is Breathable. Causing less air resistance. Lined with HIGH quality encapsulated active carbon. Also, the CBRN suit is Washable and has a Storage life of 20 years.Our amazing team of R&D has also designed the CBRN suite so that it can be Effective and user friendly in warm climates and ensuring that the end user has Protection against all type of contaminants, (vapour, liquid, aerosol, drops, solids). The ultra-lightweight designed suite also gives the end user Unassisted donning on and doffing capabilities again making it easier for them to carry out their duties. The design is Durable and able to withstand rigorous activities with Taped seams, elastic wrist and ankles. And as we are the manufacture, we have the capability to design the suit in any pattern or colour so whether you are Military in camouflage or a police officer or CTU unit in Black or blue. The fabric is easy to decontaminate is also hot gas tolerant Flame, heat, oil and fungus resistant." [Equipment](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/equipment), [CBRNe](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/cbrne), [Protection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/protection) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/templates/yootheme/cache/bd/clock-1318131_640-bd3d15e3.jpeg)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1504:doomsday-clock-2020&catid=12) ## [Doomsday Clock 2020](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1504:doomsday-clock-2020&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 23 January 2020. ***Doomsday Clock Now Closer to Midnight Than Ever in Its History; Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Cite Worsening Nuclear Threat, Lack of Climate Action & Rise of “Cyber-Enabled Disinformation Campaigns” in Moving Clock Hand; Bulletin Joined by The Elders in Announcement Today.*** **WASHINGTON, D.C. – January 23, 2020** – The iconic Doomsday Clock symbolizing the gravest perils facing humankind is now closer to midnight than at any point since its creation in 1947. To underscore the need for action, the time on the Doomsday Clock is now being expressed in seconds, rather than minutes: Today, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ Science and Security Board in consultation with the Bulletin’s Board of Sponsors, which includes 13 Nobel Laureates, moved the Doomsday Clock from two minutes to midnight to 100 seconds to midnight. As the statement issued today by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists explains: “Humanity continues to face two simultaneous existential dangers—nuclear war and climate change—that are compounded by a threat multiplier, cyber-enabled information warfare, that undercuts society’s ability to respond. The international security situation is dire, not just because these threats exist, but because world leaders have allowed the international political infrastructure for managing them to erode.” The Doomsday Clock has now moved closer to midnight in three of the last four years. While the Doomsday Clock did not move in 2019, its minute hand was set forward in 2018 by 30 seconds, to two minutes before midnight. The Clock was adjusted in 2017 to two and a half minutes to midnight from its previous setting of three minutes to midnight. Rachel Bronson, president and CEO, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, said: “**It is 100 seconds to midnight. We are now expressing how close the world is to catastrophe in seconds – not hours, or even minutes. It is the closest to Doomsday we have ever been in the history of the Doomsday Clock. We now face a true emergency – an absolutely unacceptable state of world affairs that has eliminated any margin for error or further delay.**” Former California Governor Jerry Brown, executive chair, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, said: “**Dangerous rivalry and hostility among the superpowers increases the likelihood of nuclear blunder. Climate change just compounds the crisis. If there’s ever a time to wake up, it’s now.**” For the first time, experts from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists were joined in making the Doomsday Clock change by members of The Elders. Founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007, The Elders are independent global leaders working together for peace and human rights. Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, deputy chair, The Elders; and former South Korean Foreign Minister, said: “**We share a common concern over the failure of the multilateral system to address the existential threats we face. From the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the Iran Nuclear Deal, to deadlock at nuclear disarmament talks and division at the UN Security Council – our mechanisms for collaboration are being undermined when we need them most.**” Former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, chair, The Elders, and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said: “**We ask world leaders to join us in 2020 as we work to pull humanity back from the brink. The Doomsday Clock now stands at 100 seconds to midnight, the most dangerous situation that humanity has ever faced. Now is the time to come together – to unite and to act.**” The Doomsday Clock statement highlights three worsening factors: - **Nuclear weapons.**“In the nuclear realm, national leaders have ended or undermined several major arms control treaties and negotiations during the last year, creating an environment conducive to a renewed nuclear arms race, to the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and to lowered barriers to nuclear war. Political conflicts regarding nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea remain unresolved and are, if anything, worsening. US-Russia cooperation on arms control and disarmament is all but nonexistent.” - **Climate change.**“Public awareness of the climate crisis grew over the course of 2019, largely because of mass protests by young people around the world. Just the same, governmental action on climate change still falls far short of meeting the challenge at hand. At UN climate meetings last year, national delegates made fine speeches but put forward few concrete plans to further limit the carbon dioxide emissions that are disrupting Earth’s climate. This limited political response came during a year when the effects of manmade climate change were manifested by one of the warmest years on record, extensive wildfires, and quicker-than-expected melting of glacial ice.” - **Cyber-based disinformation.**“Continued corruption of the information ecosphere on which democracy and public decision making depend has heightened the nuclear and climate threats. In the last year, many governments used cyber-enabled disinformation campaigns to sow distrust in institutions and among nations, undermining domestic and international efforts to foster peace and protect the planet.” At the same time, the Doomsday Clock statement also identifies possible action steps to turn back the hands of the Clock. - US and Russian leaders can return to the negotiating table to: reinstate the INF Treaty or take other action to restrain an unnecessary arms race in medium-range missiles; extend the limits of New START beyond 2021; seek further reductions in nuclear arms; discuss a lowering of the alert status of the nuclear arsenals of both countries; limit nuclear modernization programs that threaten to create a new nuclear arms race; and start talks on cyber warfare, missile defenses, the militarization of space, hypersonic technology, and the elimination of battlefield nuclear weapons. - The countries of the world should publicly rededicate themselves to the temperature goal of the Paris climate agreement, which is restricting warming “well below” 2 degrees Celsius higher than the preindustrial level. That goal is consistent with consensus views on climate science, and, notwithstanding the inadequate climate action to date, it may well remain within reach if major changes in the worldwide energy system and land use are undertaken promptly. If that goal is to be attained, industrialized countries will need to curb emissions rapidly, going beyond their initial, inadequate pledges and supporting developing countries so they can leapfrog the entrenched, fossil fuel-intensive patterns previously pursued by industrialized countries. - The United States and other signatories of the Iran nuclear deal can work together to restrain nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. Iran is poised to violate key thresholds of the deal. - The international community should begin multilateral discussions aimed at establishing norms of behavior, both domestic and international, that discourage and penalize the misuse of science. Science provides the world’s searchlight in times of fog and confusion. Furthermore, focused attention is needed to prevent information technology from undermining public trust in political institutions, in the media, and in the existence of objective reality itself. Cyber-enabled information warfare is a threat to the common good. Deception campaigns—and leaders intent on blurring the line between fact and politically motivated fantasy—are a profound threat to effective democracies, reducing their ability to address nuclear weapons, climate change, and other existential dangers. December 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the first edition of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, initially a six-page, black-and-white bulletin and later a magazine, created in anticipation that the atom bomb would be “only the first of many dangerous presents from the Pandora’s Box of modern science.” [Threat](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/threat) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/images/News-Images/BGCAPP_Munitions.png#thumbnail=%2C&srcset=1)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1503:bgcapp-begins-sarin-destruction&catid=12) ## [BGCAPP Begins Sarin Destruction ](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1503:bgcapp-begins-sarin-destruction&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 22 January 2020. Last week full scale destruction of munitions containing Sarin began at the Blue Grass Army Depot. Candace Coyle, Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant site project manager commented “This is another major milestone toward eliminating the total chemical weapons stockpile in Kentucky.” The CW stockpile at the Blue Grass Army Depot originally consisted of around 523 tons of chemical agent configured in 155mm projectiles containing H mustard and VX nerve agent, 8-inch projectiles containing sarin, and M55 rockets containing sarin and VX nerve agent. In June 2019, an explosive destruction technology began destroying the mustard stockpile. As of January 10, more than 15 tons of chemical agent have been destroyed in Kentucky, a news release said. [CBRNe](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/cbrne) ## Schema ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "News", "item": "https://cbrneworld.com/news" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Subscribers", "item": "https://cbrneworld.com/news/subscribers" } ] } ```