Hawaii volcano lava wave nears homes
Los Angeles (AFP) Oct 27, 2014 -
Smoldering lava from a slow-erupting volcano has reached within yards (several meters) of homes on Hawaii's Big Island, emergency officials said Monday as villagers braced to evacuate.
The lava flow from the Kilauea volcano has been threatening nearby homes for weeks, and was 100 yards (91 meters) from the nearest house by early Monday. The lava front was moving at between 10-15 yards (9-14 ...
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Tropical Depression Hanna soaks Nicaragua, Honduras
Managua (AFP) Oct 28, 2014 -
Tropical Depression Hanna on Monday lashed northeastern Nicaragua and eastern Honduras, unleashing heavy rains that US forecasters warned could cause deadly flash-flooding.
Though slightly weaker and downgraded from tropical storm status, Hanna still could drench much of Honduras and northern Nicaragua with up to 15 inches (38 centimeters) of rain, according to the Miami-based National Hurr ...
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Evolutionary roots of Ebola more ancient than previously thought
Buffalo NY (SPX) Oct 28, 2014 -
A new study is helping to rewrite Ebola's family history. The research shows that filoviruses - a family to which Ebola and its similarly lethal relative, Marburg, belong - are at least 16-23 million years old.
Filoviruses likely existed in the Miocene Epoch, and at that time, the evolutionary lines leading to Ebola and Marburg had already diverged, the study concludes.
The research ...
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Is there a way out of the Ebola epidemic
Berlin, Germany (SPX) Oct 28, 2014 -
Not everyone who contracts the Ebola virus dies, the survival rate is around 30% suggesting that some kind of immunity to the disease is possible. Experimental treatments and vaccines against Ebola exist but have not yet been tested in large groups for safety and efficacy (phase 2 trials).
The International Union of Immunology Societies (IUIS) published a statement in its official journal, ...
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Visiting US envoy condemns response to Ebola epidemic
New York (AFP) Oct 26, 2014 -
The US envoy to the United Nations criticised the level of international support for nations hit by Ebola as she began a tour of west Africa on Sunday.
Samantha Power said too many nations were praising the efforts of countries such as the United States and Britain to accelerate aid to the worst-affected countries, but were doing little themselves.
"The international response to Ebola ne ...
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US troops quarantined in Italy after W. Africa stint
Washington (AFP) Oct 27, 2014 -
US troops returning from West Africa are being quarantined at a base in Italy as a precaution to prevent the potential spread of the Ebola virus, the Pentagon said Monday.
The outgoing commander of the US military mission in Liberia, Major General Darryl Williams, along with 11 other members of his staff, were the first to undergo the isolation measures, which will last up to 21 days, a Pent ...
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Litmus strip-like Ebola diagnostic test works in 30 minutes
Boston (UPI) Oct 27, 2014 -
A team of synthetic biologists have developed a prototype paper test that they say can detect the presence of Ebola strains within 30 minutes, a development that could make the process of finding and containing the disease faster and more efficient.
The litmus-like test utilizes a technology that's popular in science labs called "cell free system," whereby cellular processes are replica ...
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