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Science News Archive August 2013 - Page 19


Page 19 of 29

Rice writes rules for gene-therapy vectors

Researchers at Rice University have made strides toward creating a set of rules to design custom viral capsid proteins for gene therapy. By combining pieces of different adeno-associated viruses, they can create new, benign viruses that deliver DNA payloads to specific cells. This research has the potential to treat diseases such as ge...

SourceRice University·JournalACS Synthetic Biology·DateAug 12, 2013

Singapore scientists unravel cancers linked to herbal remedies

A team of Singaporean and Taiwanese scientists have discovered that Aristolochic Acid (AA), a natural compound found in traditional Asian herbal remedies, is the most potent carcinogen identified to date, causing extensive DNA mutations. The study also reveals AA's possible link to liver cancer and calls for increased public awareness ...

SourceSingHealth·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateAug 12, 2013

Tests passed

Researchers developed an infrared camera system to automatically spot whales in the surrounding sea. The system uses a thermal sensor to detect temperature differences and software to analyze video streams for whale spouts.

SourceHelmholtz Association·JournalPLOS ONE·DateAug 12, 2013

Advanced technology reveals new epilepsy genes

A global study using exome sequencing identified new genetic mutations causing severe childhood epilepsies, revealing common pathways to target the condition with drugs and therapies. The findings could lead to fast-tracking discoveries of genetic causes and improving treatment options for devastating childhood epilepsies.

SourceUniversity of Melbourne·JournalNature·DateAug 11, 2013

X-linked MeCP2 is first reported to be a new target for treating Parkinson's disease

A new study published in Neural Regeneration Research suggests that X-linked methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) may be a promising therapeutic target for treating Parkinson's disease. Researchers found that overexpressing MeCP2 in damaged human cells reduced apoptosis and increased tyrosine hydroxylase levels, indicating potential be...

SourceNeural Regeneration Research·JournalNeural Regeneration Research·DateAug 11, 2013