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Science News for April 6, 2014


Amino acid fingerprints revealed in new study

Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a technique to identify amino acids, including subtly modified variants, by analyzing electrical activity signals. This breakthrough advances the prospect of clinical protein sequencing and discovery of new biomarkers for diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's.

SourceArizona State University·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateApr 6, 2014

Sweden has 2-3 times as many adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes as previously thought; Findings have potential implications for other high-income countries

Research published in Diabetologia suggests Sweden may have 2-3 times more adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes than estimated. The study used a new method to estimate incidence rates among young people, finding a significant disparity between previous estimates.

SourceDiabetologia·JournalDiabetologia·DateApr 6, 2014

Friedreich's ataxia -- an effective gene therapy in an animal model

A gene therapy approach using adeno-associated virus (AAV) successfully treated heart disease in mice with Friedreich's ataxia, restoring full functionality to the hearts. The treatment, which introduced a normal copy of the FXN gene, prevented the development of heart disease and even fully cured advanced-stage cases.

Smoking visibility mapped for the first time

Researchers from the University of Otago used mapping methods to track smoking visibility in public areas of downtown Wellington. They found that up to 116 smokers could be seen outside bars and cafés, highlighting the need for smokefree policies to reduce the normalisation of smoking.

SourceUniversity of Otago·JournalBMC Public Health·DateApr 6, 2014