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By Category: Research

Mutation makes H5N1 flu lose its grip

(ScienceNews) A mutation that helped make a laboratory version of the H5N1 bird flu transmissible through the air nearly obliterates the ability of the virus to latch onto avian cells. At the same time, the mutation slightly boosts the virus’s ability to infect human cells, an international team of researchers reports April 24 in Nature.

April 25, 2013
| Filed under North America, Agents & Toxins, and Research
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Ricin Charges Are Dropped – Wall Street Journal

Wall Street JournalRicin Charges Are DroppedWall Street JournalThe U.S. dropped charges against a Mississippi man accused of sending ricin-laced letters to President Barack Obama and a U.S. senator, and federal agents searched the house of an acquaintance with whom the man said he had a bitter dispute, in a major …

April 24, 2013
| Filed under Research
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WHO launches emergency response to antimalarial drug resistance

24 April 2013 — On World Malaria Day, 25 April, WHO recognizes significant accomplishments in preventing and controlling malaria, including in high-burden countries in sub-Saharan Africa, but highlights the threat of antimalarial drug resistance in south-east Asia’s Greater Mekong subregion, where an emergency response is now being launched.

April 23, 2013
| Filed under Research
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Biosafety Bill Detrimental to Farmers – AllAfrica.com

Biosafety Bill Detrimental to FarmersAllAfrica.comSUNDAY VISION – — The National Biotechnology and Biosafety Bill being discussed before the parliamentary committee on science and technology lacks the necessary safeguards to protect interests of farmers and favours multinational companies. Uganda …and more »

April 23, 2013
| Filed under Research
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CDC receives H7N9 virus isolate – Taipei Times

Getty ImagesCDC receives H7N9 virus isolateTaipei TimesThe center said the virus isolate was delivered in accordance with international biosafety regulations, and the delivery was the first official cross-strait exchange of a pathogenic agent. The virus sample received is A/Anhui/1/2013, so named because …H7N9 wild virus strain from China be used for research: CDCFocus Taiwan News Read More »