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| News Around World |
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| Researchers from the University of Connecticut, Purdue University and Pennsylvania State University has announced their discovery of a genetic key that may potentially allow plants to be more productive, drought resistant and hardy. The discovery is anticipated to rewrite biology textbooks as it overturns a key theory in plant development. Head of the team, Roberto Gaxiola of UConn believes that the finding may just revolutionise agriculture on a global scale.
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| In a warning issued by US Health Secretary Michael Leavitt during his tour of Southeast Asian countries affected by the recent outbreaks of bird flu, Asian governments were urged to work harder and faster in preparation for a pandemic. As Romania and Turkey scrambles to cull infected birds and prevent the spread of the virus, Leavitt and a group that includes top officials from the WHO urged the nation in the region to draw up preparedness plans and begin stockpiling antiviral drugs of the virus.
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| Bird Flu Pills for All |
| UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced that the UN will not allow intellectual property rights to prevent access to flu treatments and vaccines in event of an outbreak. He maintained that the UN will be devoted to allow equal access to the medications and vaccines for all. This measure is timely as the world begins to brace itself with the recent outbreaks of bird flu and SARS.
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| Healing power of the Human Stem Cell |
| Research has shown that injections of human stems cells may directly repair some of the damage caused by spinal cord injury, tentatively helping paralyzed mice to walk again. Such treatments are offering hope that one day patients with spinal cord injuries may walk again. The potential of stem cells lie within their function as a root cell that may turn into different types of tissue given the right biochemical signals. |
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